Neutrophilic Alveolitis and High Serum Pro-Brain Natriuretic Peptide Level may be Indicators of Pulmonary Functional Impairment in Connective Tissue Disorders

Serap UNCULU1, Özlem Erçen DİKEN1, Aydın ÇİLEDAĞ1, Aydan İKİNCİOĞULLARI2, Demet KARNAK1, Oya KAYACAN1, Murat TURGAY3

1Department of Chest Diseases, Medical Faculty of Ankara University, Ankara, Turkey
2Department of Pediatric Allergy and Immunology, Medical Faculty of Ankara University, Ankara, Turkey
3Department of Rheumatology, Medical Faculty of Ankara University, Ankara, Turkey

Abstract

Objectives: This study aims to assess the role of several diagnostic tests and tools, immune markers, and the association between serum pro-brain natriuretic peptide levels and other parameters in patients with collagen tissue disorders with pulmonary involvement.
Patients and methods: In this prospective study, 62 patients (17 males, 45 females; mean age 58.1±13.6 years; range 24 to 87 years) with pulmonary involvement of connective tissue disorders were evaluated using several functional parameters (six-minute walking test, serum pro-brain natriuretic peptide, echocardiographic measurement of the pulmonary pressure, respiratory functional parameters, and blood pressure measurement), bronchoalveolar lavage differential cytology and/or flow cytometric analysis.
Results: Duration of disease was 7.6 years. Diagnoses included rheumatoid arthritis (38.7%), scleroderma (38.7%), primary Sjögren's syndrome (16.1%), mixed collagen tissue disorder (4.8%), and systemic lupus erythematosus (1.6%). Pulmonary hypertension was present in 38.7% of the patients with the highest incidence of rheumatoid arthritis showing reduced respiratory functions, partial oxygen pressure, and six-minute walk distance, as well as increased serum pro-brain natriuretic peptide and neutrophilic alveolitis.
Conclusion: High serum pro-brain natriuretic peptide levels and neutrophilic alveolitis may provide diagnostic clues for a possible diagnosis of pulmonary hypertension and impaired respiratory functions.

Conflict of Interest

The authors declared no conflicts of interest with respect to the authorship and/or publication of this article.

Financial Disclosure

The authors received no financial support for the research and/or authorship of this article.