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Rheumatoid Pleuritis by W Ann Rheum Dis: first published as 10.1136/ard.26.6.467 on 1 November 1967. Downloaded from Ann. rheum. Dis. (1967), 26, 467 RHEUMATOID PLEURITIS BY W. C. WALKER* AND V. WRIGHTt From the Rheumatism Research Unit, University Department of Medicine, General Infirmary, Leeds Although there was initial reluctance to accept (Heller, Kellow, and Chomet, 1956; Schools and the concept, most authorities now believe that Davey, 1960), but as a diagnostic measure this has pleural effusion and dry pleurisy may occur as been disappointing in the experience of others systemic manifestations of rheumatoid arthritis. (Ward, 1961; Carr and Mayne, 1962; Mattingly, This belief is based on clinical series in which the 1964; Poppius and Tani, 1964). incidence of otherwise unexplained pleural effusion Despite the widely held view that attacks of dry has been unexpectedly high (Horler and Thompson, pleurisy are more frequent in rheumatoid subjects, 1959) and on several reports of granulomatous there is no statistical support for this in the one lesions in the pleura considered to be of rheumatoid comprehensive controlled investigation (Short, origin (Bennett, Zeller, and Bauer, 1940; Gruenwald, Bauer, and Reynolds, 1957). 1948; Raven, Parkes Weber, and Price, 1948; Several authors have reported a high incidence of copyright. Ellman, Cudkowicz, and Elwood, 1954; Horler pleural adhesions at autopsy (Baggenstoss and and Thompson, 1959; Koepke, 1960; Schools and Rosenberg, 1943; Fingerman and Andrus, 1943; Mikkelsen, 1962; Hindle and Yates, 1965; Castle- Aronoff and others, 1955; Sinclair and Cruick- man and McNeely, 1965). In rheumatoid pneumo- shank, 1956; Cruickshank, 1957; Talbot and coniosis, the incidence of pleural effusion in those Calkins, 1964). However, the histological changes with the classical x-ray appearance was 12 5 per have been non-specific (Sinclair and Cruickshank, cent. (Caplan, Payne, and Withey, 1962). 1956) and the relationship to the rheumatoid process It would be anticipated that controlled investiga- uncertain. tions should have revealed a greater prevalance of Clearlyseveral doubtsremainregardingrheumatoid http://ard.bmj.com/ pleural effusion in rheumatoid subjects than in pleural lesions. The study here reported formed controls, but those so far undertaken have yielded part of a comprehensive controlled investigation conflicting results. Locke (1963) found a greater into the pleural and pulmonary manifestations of prevalance of pleural effusion in a small selected rheumatoid arthritis which has been recorded in series of rheumatoid subjects than in controls, and detail elsewhere (Walker, 1966). Talbot and Calkins (1964) made a similar observa- tion in an autopsy study. By contrast, in larger Materials and Methods controlled investigations, pleural effusion was not 516 patients with definite or classical rheumatoid on October 2, 2021 by guest. Protected found to be more common (Aronoff, Bywaters, and arthritis (Ropes, Bennett, Cobb, Jacox, and Jessar, 1959) Fearnley, 1955; Stack and Grant, 1965). were studied. 189 were new referrals to the Rheumatism The uncertainties surrounding pleural effusions Clinic of the General Infirmary at Leeds and the re- attributed to rheumatoid disease are doubtless mainder were follow-up cases. The control group largely due to the difficulty in establishing a positive consisted of 301 patients with degenerative joint disease diagnosis and in most of the cases so far recorded (DJD). 221 of them new referrals. In each case a full this has been reached mainly by exclusion. How- history was taken, a complete clinical examination done, and the arthritis carefully assessed as recorded elsewhere ever, Carr and Mayne (1962) have emphasized the (Walker, 1966). Respiratory symptoms were noted and very low glucose levels in the pleural fluids. Rheuma- evaluated and special inquiry was maderegardingprevious toid tissue has been recovered by pleural biopsy respiratory diseases, including pneumonia, pleurisy, pulmonary tuberculosis, or other chest illness. Details *Consultant Physician, Wakefield Hospitals. of smoking habits and the occupational history were tSenior Lecturer in Medicine, Consultant Physician in Rheumatology noted. All patients had a chest radiograph, which was 467 Ann Rheum Dis: first published as 10.1136/ard.26.6.467 on 1 November 1967. Downloaded from 468 ANNALS OF THE RHEUMATIC DISEASES read by one of us (W.C.W.) without knowledge of the ring more than 5 years before the onset of arthritis. group to which they belonged. Pleural biopsy was Within 5 years of the onset of arthritis, however, performed under local anaesthesia, using the Abrams although there was no difference between the two (Abrams, 1958) when indicated. All rheumatoid punch groups in women, attacks of pleurisy were more patients had x rays of the hands and feet and those in the common in the men with rheumatoid arthritis. DJD group had films of the affected joints. Haemoglo- bin, white cell count, blood sedimentation rate (BSR), 1 per cent. of the men and 0 5 per cent. of the women and sheep cell agglutination test (SCAT) were done in all with rheumatoid arthritis gave a history of pleurisy patients, and other investigations when indicated. synchronous with the onset of arthritis. Such a history was not obtained from any patient in the Results DJD group. After the onset of arthritis, pleurisy Of the rheumatoid patients 73 per cent. were was more common in the rheumatoid group in both female and of the control patients 79 per cent. The sexes, the difference being particularly striking in the age distribution of the two groups was reasonably men. In the rheumatoid group two men and two comparable (Fig. 1). women had an exacerbation of arthritis coincident with an attack of pleurisy, whereas this did not occur Pleurisy in the DJD group. The number of patients giving a history of pleurisy Pleural Effusion in the two groups is shown in Table I. Nineteen patients in the rheumatoid group had a TABLE I EPISODES OF PLEURISY IN RA AND DJD pleural effusion either at the time of examination or Percentage frequency in parenthesis during the course of their arthritis. Of these, two were due to other disease processes, but in the Diagnosis Male Female Total remainder careful investigation and observation did RA .39 (28) 68 (18) 107 (21) not reveal any evidence of an alternative cause and DJD .4 (6) 32 (13) 36 (12) they were accepted as cases of rheumatoid pleural effusion, an incidence of 3 3 per cent. (in the mencopyright. Pleurisy was more common in the rheumatoid 7 * 9 per cent and in the women 1 6 per cent.). group and in the men the difference was significant The average age at onset of the effusions was 52 (t = 10-5; P < 0 01). years in the men and 59 years in the women. In the The distribution of the attacks of pleurisy in control group there were two patients with pleural relation to the onset of arthritic symptoms in the effusion and in one of them there was no convincing two groups is shown in Fig. 2 (opposite). There evidence of any of the usual causes. The difference was no difference in the incidence of pleurisy occur- in the incidence of unexplained pleural effusion in http://ard.bmj.com/ Rheumatoid arthritis 2,.r)n Males 183 IbO Females 53 120 9 2 80- on October 2, 2021 by guest. Protected .ti 3 40 -39 0- 0 0 z - Degenerative joint disease 95 40 29 29 39 49 59 69 + Age (yrs. ) Fig. I.-Age distribution of patients with rheumatoid arthritis and degenerative joint disease. Ann Rheum Dis: first published as 10.1136/ard.26.6.467 on 1 November 1967. Downloaded from RHEUMATOID PLEURITIS 469 MALES : Rheumatoid arthritis Degenerative joint disease 12 12 - ,, 10- 8 - O 4 2 c- 05 0 > 5yrs. before < Syrs. before synch ron. after Fig. 2.-Onset of pleurisy related to onset of rheumatoid arthritis and degenerative joint disease. the rheumatoid group compared with the control in 67 per cent. (4 of 6) of the effusion group com- group was statistically significant (x2= 6-1; P < pared with 44 per cent. of the rheumatoid group. 0 02). There was no difference in the BSR. Thirty-six per cent. of the men with effusions had Comparing the results of the SCAT in the pleural chronic bronchitis compared with 22 per cent. of the effusion group with the rheumatoid population as a total male rheumatoid population, but this was not a whole, no significant difference was apparent. significant difference. Other rheumatoid lesions Three patients with pleural effusion had L.E.-cells copyright. were known to be present in four cases. One had in the peripheral blood, but there was no other interstitial lung disease, one Caplan's syndrome, and evidence of systemic lupus erythematosus. two others non-pneumoconiotic intra-pulmonary A low serum albumin was more common (9 of rheumatoid nodules, proven histologically. No 14, 64 per cent.) in the effusion group than in the other respiratory diseases were more frequent in total rheumatoid population (41 of 212, 19 per cent.) those with pleural effusion. This was a significant difference (x2 = 15 1; There was no significant difference in the age at P = < 0-01). The serum globulin levels were onset, the extent of the arthritis, or the functional similar in the two groups. grade in those with and without pleural effusion. There was no difference in the severity of the http://ard.bmj.com/ The duration of arthritis in those with effusions was radiographic changes in the hands and feet between slightly longer than in the group as a whole. Sub- the two groups. cutaneous nodules were present in eight men and Of those with pleural effusion, 24 per cent. were two women in the pleural effusion group, 73 per non-smokers compared with 45 per cent. of the total cent. and 33 per cent. respectively. In the rheuma- rheumatoid population. Men who smoked more toid population, 44 per cent.
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