Successful use of cyclosporin A for the treatment of acute interstitial pneumonitis associated with rheumatoid arthritis

SER-SEPAR recommendations for the management of rheumatoid arthritis-related interstitial lung disease. Part 2: Treatment

OBJECTIVE

To develop multidisciplinary recommendations to improve the management of rheumatoid arthritis-related interstitial lung disease (RA-ILD).

METHODS

Clinical research questions relevant to the objective of the document were identified by a panel of rheumatologists and pneumologists selected based on their experience in the field. Systematic reviews of the available evidence were conducted, and evidence was graded according to the Scottish Intercollegiate Guidelines Network (SIGN) criteria. Specific recommendations were made.

RESULTS

Six PICO questions were selected, three of which analysed the safety and effectiveness of glucocorticoids, classical synthetic disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs (DMARDs) and other immunosuppressants, biological agents, targeted synthetic DMARDs, and antifibrotic therapies in the treatment of this complication. A total of 12 recommendations were formulated based on the evidence found and/or expert consensus.

CONCLUSIONS

We present the first official SER-SEPAR document with specific recommendations for RA-ILD management developed to resolve some common clinical questions, reduce clinical healthcare variability, and facilitate decision-making for patients.

Management issues in rheumatoid arthritis-associated interstitial lung disease

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

Summarize recent evidence on the identification and management of rheumatoid arthritis-associated interstitial lung disease (RA-ILD).

RECENT FINDINGS

Clinical and subclinical interstitial lung disease (ILD) are frequent extra-articular manifestations of rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Better means of identifying and treating RA-ILD are needed to improve the prognosis, with a median survival of only 3-7 years after diagnosis. Several serum biomarkers are currently being evaluated for their ability to detect RA-ILD. Thorough evaluation and multidisciplinary discussion remains the gold standard for establishing the diagnosis of RA-ILD. Management is challenging with most RA disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs) linked to pneumonitis. Methotrexate is typically avoided in clinically significant ILD, although alternative therapies including leflunomide and biologic DMARDs also carry risks in RA-ILD. Antifibrotics appear to slow the progression of ILD, and a large phase II trial exclusively in RA-ILD is underway. In addition, smoking cessation, pulmonary rehabilitation, oxygen therapy, managing comorbidities, and lung transplantation evaluation are vital to improving patient outcomes in RA-ILD.

SUMMARY

With little high-quality evidence to guide the management of RA-ILD, multidisciplinary teams with expertise in RA-ILD are highly valuable for diagnosing and treating RA-ILD. Clinical and translational research in RA-ILD is needed to fill the many evidence gaps.

Treatment of Rheumatoid Arthritis-Associated Interstitial Lung Disease: Lights and Shadows

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic and systemic inflammatory disease affecting 0.5–1% of the population worldwide. Interstitial lung disease (ILD) is a serious pulmonary complication of RA and it is responsible for 10–20% of mortality, with a mean survival of 5–8 years. However, nowadays there are no therapeutic recommendations for the treatment of RA-ILD. Therapeutic options for RA-ILD are complicated by the possible pulmonary toxicity of many disease modifying anti-rheumatic drugs (DMARDs) and by their unclear efficacy on pulmonary disease. Therefore, joint and lung involvement should be evaluated independently of each other for treatment purposes. On the other hand, some similarities between RA-ILD and idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis and the results of the recent INBIULD trial suggest a possible future role for antifibrotic agents. From this perspective, we review the current literature describing the pulmonary effects of drugs (immunosuppressants, conventional, biological and target synthetic DMARDs and antifibrotic agents) in patients with RA and ILD. In addition, we suggest a framework for the management of RA-ILD patients and outline a research agenda to fill the gaps in knowledge about this challenging patient cohort.

Thoracic Manifestations of Rheumatoid Arthritis

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is commonly associated with pulmonary disease that can affect any anatomic compartment of the thorax. The most common intrathoracic manifestations of RA include interstitial lung disease, airway disease, pleural disease, rheumatoid nodules, and drug-induced toxicity. Patients with RA with thoracic involvement often present with nonspecific respiratory symptoms, although many are asymptomatic. Therefore, clinicians should routinely consider pulmonary disease when evaluating any patient with RA, particularly one with known risk factors. The optimal screening, diagnostic, and treatment strategies for RA-associated pulmonary disease remain uncertain and are the focus of ongoing investigation.

Up-to-Date Information on Rheumatoid Arthritis-Associated Interstitial Lung Disease

Pulmonary involvement is common in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and affects all the components of the lung. Interstitial lung disease (ILD) is the most predominant pulmonary manifestation and has been identified as the main cause of morbidity and mortality in RA. Clinically significant RA-ILD occurs in approximately 10% of RA patients. Several risk factors, such as old age, male gender, and smoking, have been reported to date. Histologically, the proportion of the usual interstitial pneumonia (UIP) pattern is higher in RA-ILD than in ILD associated with other connective tissue diseases, and RA-ILD also shows nonspecific interstitial pneumonia and organizing pneumonia patterns. High-resolution computed tomography scans are highly predictive of the histological UIP pattern with a specificity of 96%–100%. Acute exacerbation, which is the acute deterioration of the respiratory status characterized by newly developed bilateral infiltrates with unknown etiologies, has been reported in RA-ILD. Although acute exacerbation of RA-ILD has high mortality, similar to that of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, its incidence is lower in RA-ILD than in idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis. A consensus treatment has not yet been established. Current therapeutic regimens typically include corticosteroids with or without cytotoxic agents. Recent large longitudinal studies reported that the prognosis of RA-ILD was poor with a median survival of 2.6–3.0 years. Furthermore, histological and/or radiological patterns, such as UIP or non-UIP, have significant prognostic implications. RA-ILD patients with histological or radiological UIP patterns have poorer prognoses than those with non-UIP patterns. This review assessed the characteristics of RA-ILD by overviewing recent studies in the field and focused on the clinical significance of histological and/or radiological patterns in RA-ILD.

Rheumatoid arthritis-associated lung disease

Comprehensive, up-to-date review of RA-associated lung diseases including pathogenesis and managementhttp://ow.ly/FBaNZ

Lung involvement and drug-induced lung disease in patients with rheumatoid arthritis

Interstitial lung disease (ILD) is a common extra-articular manifestation of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and a significant cause of morbidity and mortality. Usual interstitial pneumonia and nonspecific interstitial pneumonia seem to be the most frequent patterns in RA patients with ILD, although the proportion of patients with usual interstitial pneumonia is higher than among patients with other systemic rheumatic autoimmune diseases. RA patients with ILD most frequently present with chronic symptoms of cough and dyspnea when climbing stairs or walking uphill. A physical examination may reveal inhalatory crackles and a pulmonary function test demonstrates restrictive physiology, often with reduced diffusing capacity. High-resolution computed tomography is generally sufficient to confirm a diagnosis of ILD, although a minority of cases may require a surgical lung biopsy. Conventional disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs such as methotrexate (MTX) or leflunomide (LEF) and biological agents such as TNF-blocking agents or rituximab may trigger or aggravate ILD in RA patients, and infections may contribute to increased mortality in such patients. LEF should not be used in patients with a history of MTX pneumonitis. The prevalence of interstitial pneumonia among RA patients treated with anti-TNF agents ranges from 0.5 to 3%; however, as the evidence that anti-TNF increases or decreases the risk of ILD is controversial, it is not clear whether this indicates more severe RA requiring biological therapy or the effect of exposure to potentially toxic drugs such as MTX or LEF. The development of treatment-related ILD is a paradoxical adverse event, and patients should be warned about this rare but serious complication of biological or disease-modifying antirheumatic drug therapy.

Connective Tissue Disease-Associated Interstitial Lung Disease

The connective tissue diseases (CTDs) are a group of systemic disorders characterized by autoimmunity and autoimmune-mediated organ damage. The lung is a frequent target and all components of the respiratory system are at risk. Interstitial lung disease (ILD) represents a broad group of diffuse parenchymal lung injury patterns characterized by varying degrees of inflammation and fibrosis, is a common manifestation of CTD particularly common in systemic sclerosis, polymyositis/dermatomyositis, and rheumatoid arthritis, and is a leading cause of significant morbidity and mortality. The lung injury patterns of CTD-associated ILD (CTD-ILD) mirror those of idiopathic interstitial pneumonia and may arise at any time during the course of the CTD or may be the first manifestation of CTD. Patients with CTD that present with respiratory failure often present significant diagnostic dilemmas. Thorough and comprehensive assessments to exclude respiratory *infection, acute interstitial pneumonia, medication toxicity, pulmonary embolism, cardiac dysfunction, and diffuse alveolar hemorrhage are the fundamental components for the evaluation of such patients. Furthermore, patients with CTD are also at risk of acute exacerbations of underlying ILD. Acute exacerbations are manifested by subacute respiratory deterioration with worsening hypoxemia in the setting of new radiographic abnormalities. The prognosis of patients with CTD having respiratory failure is often quite poor, highlighting the need for prompt and thorough clinical assessments to determine the underlying etiology and implementation of appropriate therapeutic strategies.

The multifaceted aspects of interstitial lung disease in rheumatoid arthritis

Interstitial lung disease (ILD) is a relevant extra-articular manifestation of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) that may occur either in early stages or as a complication of long-standing disease. RA related ILD (RA-ILD) significantly influences the quoad vitam prognosis of these patients. Several histopathological patterns of RA-ILD have been described: usual interstitial pneumonia (UIP) is the most frequent one, followed by nonspecific interstitial pneumonia (NSIP); other patterns are less commonly observed. Several factors have been associated with an increased risk of developing RA-ILD. The genetic background plays a fundamental but not sufficient role; smoking is an independent predictor of ILD, and a correlation with the presence of rheumatoid factor and anti-cyclic citrullinated peptide antibodies has also been reported. Moreover, both exnovo occurrence and progression of ILD have been related to drug therapies that are commonly prescribed in RA, such as methotrexate, leflunomide, anti-TNF alpha agents, and rituximab. A greater understanding of the disease process is necessary in order to improve the therapeutic approach to ILD and RA itself and to reduce the burden of this severe extra-articular manifestation.

Acute interstitial pneumonia (hamman-rich syndrome) as a cause of idiopathic acute respiratory distress syndrome

Hamman-Rich syndrome, also known as acute interstitial pneumonia, is a rare and fulminant form of idiopathic interstitial lung disease. It should be considered as a cause of idiopathic acute respiratory distress syndrome. Confirmatory diagnosis requires demonstration of diffuse alveolar damage on lung histopathology. The main treatment is supportive care. It is not clear if glucocorticoid therapy is effective in acute interstitial pneumonia. We report the case of a 77-year-old woman without pre-existing lung disease who initially presented with mild upper respiratory tract infection and then progressed to rapid onset of hypoxic respiratory failure similar to acute respiratory distress syndrome with unknown etiology. Despite glucocorticoid therapy, she did not achieve remission and expired after 35 days of hospitalization. The diagnosis of acute interstitial pneumonia was supported by the histopathologic findings on her lung biopsy.

[Pulmonary manifestation of rheumatoid arthritis]

INTRODUCTION

Lung disease is the most frequent and among the most severe extra-articular manifestation of rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Several interesting advances have been made in recent years in our understanding of this respiratory disease.

STATE OF ART

1. The induction of BALT responsible for follicular lymphoid infiltrates has been demonstrated in the wall of respiratory bronchioles. These lymphoid infiltrates are similar to synovial and skin cellular infiltrates and secrete specific markers of RA (citrullinated proteins). These data strongly suggest a common pathogenic mechanism for RA in the joints and in other sites, such as the lung. 2. Improvements in high resolution computed tomography (HR- CT) increased the sensitivity of diagnosis. CT evidence of pulmonary disease is present in 50% of RA patients, but only 10% of these patients have clinical symptoms. The different lung manifestations, frequently combined, have been clearly described: pulmonary nodules (20%); small airways disease (30%): bronchiolitis, bronchiolectasis, and bronchiectasis; diffuse interstitial pneumonia of various types (20%). 3. Predictors of progression and therapeutic response remain unknown. Therefore treatment is empirical and based on usual indications and on drugs used in idiopathic fibrosis and other connective tissue pulmonary pathologies.

CONCLUSIONS

New biological drugs such as TNF blocking agents or anti CD20 antibody could be beneficial. Infections and drug-induced pneumonitis are not described in this review but must be considered systematically when an RA patient presents with lung involvement.

Rheumatoid lung disease

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a common, functionally disabling disease with genetic and environmental contributors. It occurs in approximately 1% of the population and adversely affects quality of life, functional status, and survival. Beyond its impact on the joints, pulmonary involvement occurs regularly and is responsible for a significant portion of the morbidity and mortality. Although pulmonary infection and/or drug toxicity are frequent complications, lung disease directly associated with the underlying RA is more common. The airways, vasculature, parenchyma, and pleura can all be involved, with variable amounts of pathologic inflammation and fibrosis. The true adverse clinical impact of the most important of these directly associated disorders, RA-associated interstitial lung disease (RA-ILD), has only recently begun to reveal itself. Our knowledge of the underlying pathobiology and the impact of our current immunomodulatory and biologic therapies on the lung disease are less than incomplete. However, what is clear is the importance of progressive lung fibrosis in shortening survival and impairing quality of life in RA as well as in other connective tissue diseases. The impact of historically available and newer biologic therapies in altering the outcome of RA-ILD is unknown; translational studies focused on the pathobiology and clinical studies focused on the treatment of RA-ILD are needed.

Diffuse alveolar damage: uncommon manifestation of pulmonary involvement in patients with connective tissue diseases

BACKGROUND

Diffuse alveolar damage (DAD) is a relatively common finding on surgical lung biopsy and can result from a variety of causes.

METHODS

We studied nine consecutive patients with connective tissue disease (CTD) and DAD diagnosed on surgical lung biopsy to examine this association and clinical implications.

RESULTS

The median age was 63 years (range, 35 to 76 years), and seven of the patients were women (78%). Underlying CTDs included rheumatoid arthritis in five patients, polymyositis in two patients, and one patient each with systemic sclerosis and mixed CTD. In seven patients (78%), CTD had been diagnosed before the onset of DAD; six of these patients had a preexisting interstitial lung disease (ILD) related to their CTD. DAD was the presenting manifestation leading to a new CTD diagnosis in two patients (22%). CT of the chest revealed ground-glass opacities and/or consolidation bilaterally with or without honeycombing. In all patients, surgical lung biopsy revealed DAD for which no cause could be identified other than the underlying CTD. Seven patients (78%) were receiving mechanical ventilatory support at the time of the surgical lung biopsy. Four patients (44%) survived to hospital discharge and included one patient with preexisting ILD and all three patients without chronic ILD.

CONCLUSION

We conclude that DAD can complicate the clinical course of patients with CTD-related chronic ILD, or can occasionally occur as a presenting manifestation of CTDs. When DAD occurs in patients with CTDs, the outcome appears to be worse for those with preexisting chronic ILD compared to those without ILD.

Increased CD4+ T cell infiltrates in rheumatoid arthritis-associated interstitial pneumonitis compared with idiopathic interstitial pneumonitis

OBJECTIVE

To study lymphocyte markers in rheumatoid arthritis (RA)-associated interstitial pneumonitis (IP) compared with idiopathic IP.

METHODS

Paraffin-embedded lung biopsy specimens from patients with RA (n = 15) and from those without RA (n = 16), all of whom had a diagnosis of either nonspecific IP or usual IP, were studied. Tissue sections from each patient were reviewed by a pathologist, who was blinded to the clinical data. Age and pulmonary function test results were similar in RA and non-RA patients. After high-temperature antigen unmasking, sections were incubated with mouse monoclonal antibodies directed against CD3, CD4, CD8, CD16, and CD20. All slides were coded, and digital images (100x magnification) of the entire tissue area were obtained. Staining was quantified using computer-assisted image analysis.

RESULTS

Staining for CD4 was more prominent in patients with RA than in the non-RA comparison group (median 9.3 cells/mm(2), interquartile range [IQR] 5.5-27.3 versus 0.6 cells/mm(2), IQR 0.2-1.9; P = 0.002). CD4+ cell counts were increased in RA patients with nonspecific IP as well as in RA patients with usual IP, with no major difference between these groups. Results were similar for quantification of CD3 (P = 0.012). There was a less striking trend toward more CD8+ cells in RA patients (P = 0.27 versus those with non-RA lung disease).

CONCLUSION

IP lesions in patients with RA are characterized by an increased number of CD4+ cells, as compared with that in patients with idiopathic IP. This finding suggests that CD4+ T cells are critical for the development of pulmonary manifestations in RA, and may have implications for the treatment of RA-associated lung disease.

Acute interstitial pneumonia

The idiopathic interstitial pneumonias have unknown etiology and are characterized by diffuse parenchymal lung involvement and the potential to develop pulmonary fibrosis. Most portend a reduction in life expectancy due, in part, to the absence of effective therapies. The symptoms of idiopathic interstitial pneumonia develop insidiously. In contradistinction, acute interstitial pneumonia (AIP, also known as acute interstitial pneumonitis) is unique in that it has a very rapid to fulminant onset, leading to early hospitalization and a high initial case fatality ratio but, potentially, a more favorable long-term prognosis for survivors. Despite its contemporary description nearly 20 years ago, knowledge of this disease has increased little. This review focuses on AIP and its current place among the idiopathic interstitial pneumonias.