Chest Imaging and Nailfold Capillaroscopic Pattern in Various Types of Interstitial Lung Diseases in Egyptian Patients

Abstract

Interstitial lung diseases are a group of diffuse parenchymal lung disorders that are classified according to specific clinical, radiological and histopathological features. ILD is subdivided into idiopathic interstitial pneumonia, ofwhich idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis is one subset, and diffuse parenchymal lung diseases, which may be secondary to a variety of occupational or environmental exposures, or can complicate multiple connective tissue diseases.ILD and pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) are the most common forms of lung disease associated with SSc. Clinically significant RA associated ILD is observed in 8–10% of RA patients over the course of their disease, and in 30% of patients subclinical. ILD can occur even before development of articular disease. Nailfold-capillaroscopy is noninvasive, safe, simple and low cost technique that permits a direct visualization of the microcirculation. NFC findings give typical information in CTDs, especially in scleroderma; dermatomyositis, mixed connective tissue disease, all are called a “scleroderma- like pattern.” The aim of this study was to determine the different lung abnormalities and nailfold-capillaroscopic patterns in connective tissue disease - associated ILD (including RA and SSc) and idiopathic ILD.