Hallazgos tomográficos pulmonares de los pacientes con artritis reumatoide en el hospital general Isidro Ayora-Loja en el periodo 2021-2022

Abstract

Abstract: Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is an autoimmune disease that not only affects the joints, but also other organs, with interstitial lung disease (ILD) being one of the most frequent extra-articular manifestations. ILD is accompanied by clinical and radiological manifestations; For its diagnosis, computed tomography (CT) is used, which allows evaluation of lung damage without being an invasive technique. CT scan together with densitometry allow quantifying the degree of lung involvement, as well as structural abnormalities that imply a decrease in attenuation, determining more precisely the extent of the damage. In the present study, we worked with 51 rheumatology patients from the Isidro Ayora Loja General Hospital in the period 2021-2022, who underwent a chest CT to determine the extent of lung damage and its relationship with the activity of the RA. The results of the study show that there is no significant correlation between disease activity and the extent of lung damage quantified by densitometry and by the CT visual index.