Improvement of refractory rheumatoid arthritis-associated constrictive bronchiolitis with etanercept

Respir Med. 2005 Apr;99(4):511-4. doi: 10.1016/j.rmed.2004.09.001.

Abstract

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA)-associated constrictive bronchiolitis is a severe condition with no established efficient treatment. A 55-year-old woman with seropositive RA developed rapidly progressive constrictive bronchiolitis confirmed by lung biopsy. Her clinical condition worsened despite steroids and azathioprine. Treatment with etanercept-a tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha inhibitor-combined with methotrexate, resulted in a marked improvement of both her clinical condition and pulmonary function tests. Treatment with TNF-alpha inhibitors and methotrexate may be proposed in RA-associated constrictive bronchiolitis, a severe condition hitherto not amenable to improvement.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Antirheumatic Agents / therapeutic use*
  • Arthritis, Rheumatoid / complications
  • Arthritis, Rheumatoid / drug therapy*
  • Arthritis, Rheumatoid / physiopathology
  • Bronchiolitis / drug therapy*
  • Bronchiolitis / etiology
  • Bronchiolitis / physiopathology
  • Drug Therapy, Combination
  • Dyspnea / drug therapy
  • Dyspnea / etiology
  • Dyspnea / physiopathology
  • Etanercept
  • Female
  • Forced Expiratory Volume / drug effects
  • Humans
  • Immunoglobulin G / therapeutic use*
  • Methotrexate / therapeutic use*
  • Middle Aged
  • Receptors, Tumor Necrosis Factor / therapeutic use*
  • Treatment Outcome
  • Vital Capacity / drug effects

Substances

  • Antirheumatic Agents
  • Immunoglobulin G
  • Receptors, Tumor Necrosis Factor
  • Etanercept
  • Methotrexate