Journal List > J Korean Rheum Assoc > v.14(3) > 1003562

Ahn, Koh, Lee, Cha, Chung, Han, Oh, and Lee: HRCT Findings and Clinical Features in Non-specific and Usual Interstitial Pneumonia with Connective Tissue Diseases

Abstract

Objective:

The purpose of this study is to assess the clinical characteristics and the serial changes of high resolution CT (HRCT) findings and to correlate those with the results of clinical parameters in biopsy proven nonspecific interstitial pneumonia (NSIP) and usual interstitial pneumonia (UIP) with connective tissue diseases (CTD).

Methods:

Retrospective analysis was made of forty patients with CTD diagnosed of NSIP and UIP from a single tertiary hospital between January 1996 and February 2006.

Results:

UIP was common in rheumatoid arthritis, systemic sclerosis and Sjogren's syndrome, while NSIP was frequent in polymyositis/dermatomyositis. No significant difference was found in the clinical characteristics of patients with NSIP and UIP. In initial HRCT findings, extents of honeycombing and reticulation pattern were significantly more in UIP-CTD than in NSIP-CTD. In bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) results, proportion of alveolar macrophages was significantly higher in NSIP-CTD than in UIP-CTD. In NSIP-CTD, significant increment in the extent of reticulation and honeycombing was noted in the serial HRCT findings despite the aggressive treatment. Significant correlation was found between leukocytosis and honeycombing change in NSIP-CTD. Despite no significant difference of survival between two groups, patients with UIP-CTD seem to have a higher mortality than those with NSIP-CTD.

Conclusion:

It is suggested that chest HRCT and BAL fluid analysis may be helpful in the differential diagnosis of NSIP-and UIP-CTD and leukocytosis in initial blood test might be predictive of honeycombing progression in NSIP-CTD. Further study will be required to compare with the prognosis of NSIP-and UIP-CTD.

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Fig. 1.
Comparison of survival between NSIP and UIP patients with connective tissue diseases (CTD).
jkra-14-208f1.tif
Fig. 2.
Typical HRCT and histologic features of NSIP (A, B) and UIP (C, D) associated with connective tissue diseases (A) Patchy areas of consolidation and wide spread ground-glass attenuation are seen in both subpleural lungs. (B) Histology shows interstitial fibrosis with inflammatory cells infiltration and temporal uniformity without fibrous foci (H&E x200). (C) HRCT scan shows honeycombing change, irregular line and ground glass opacity in the subpleural area of both lungs. (D) Histology shows irregular interstitial fibrosis and inflammation in subpleural area with patch lymphoid follicles containing germinal center, alternating with relatively normal lung parenchyma (arrow)(H&E x 100).
jkra-14-208f2.tif
Table 1.
Baseline characteristics of patients with UIP and NSIP with connective tissue diseases
CTD-NSIP (n=18) CTD-UIP (n=22) p-value
Sex, female 14 (77.8) 21 (95.5) 0.155
Age, years (mean±SD) 47.5±12.7 52.2±13.1 0.260
Never-smoker 14 (77.8) 20 (90.9) 0.381
Signs
Crackle 15 (83.3) 19 (86.4) 1.000
Clubbing 3 (17.6) 5 (23.8) 0.709
Time of ILD diagnosis (Dx)
Concomitant with CTD Dx (%) 9 (50.0) 5 (22.7)
After CTD Dx 5 (28.0) 6 (36.3)
Before CTD Dx 4 (22.0) 11 (50.0)
Treatment modalities
Corticosteroid 2 (11.1) 4 (18.2)
Corticosteroid+cytotoxic drug 13 (72.2) 8 (36.4)
No treatment 3 (16.7) 10 (45.5)
Cumulative dose for ILD treatments
Corticosteroid (gram) 4.68±4.58 1.42±2.43 0.014
Cyclophosphamide (gram) 9.67±14.52 5.69±12.29 0.361
Azathioprine (gram) 14.06±25.65 2.03±7.38 0.084

Unless otherwise indicated, values are frequency (percentage) or mean±standard deviation (SD). UIP: usual interstitial pneumonia, NSIP: nonspecific interstitial pneumonia, CTD: connective tissue disease, ILD: interstitial lung disease, Dx: diagnosis

Table 2.
Laboratory findings of patients with biopsy-proven UIP and NSIP in connective tissue disease
No. pts examined CTD-NSIP CTD-UIP p-value
WBC (/L) 40 7,498±3,069 8,214±3,509 0.502
ESR (mm/hr) 40 48.1±25.4 42.5±28.8 0.519
CRP (mg/dL) 40 1.76±2.69 1.91±3.21 0.881
PaO2 (mmHg) 25 77.68±14.46 83.21±16.11 0.378
PaCO2 (mmHg) 25 36.75±6.60 37.95±4.12 0.586
LDH (IU/L) 27 801.66±507.46 578.00±211.38 0.153
ANA (%) 40 11 (61.1) 13 (59.1) 1.000
Rheumatoid factor 38 265.42±819.91 218.59±485.80 0.828
Anti-SSA (%)/Anti-SSB (%) 36 2 (12.5)/2 (12.5) 3 (15.0)/0 (0) 1.000/0.190
Anti-Jo-1 31 3 (23.1) 9 (50) 0.158
BAL fluid analysis 31
Total cell count (∗105/mL) 3.84±5.28 2.14±0.94 0.240
Alveolar macrophage (%) 62.03± 16.29 76.20±22.5 0.050
Neutrophil (%) 16.41±14.61 7.40± 10.61 0.061
Lymphocyte (%) 20.13±17.31 11.48±8.21 0.446
CD4/CD8 ratio 2.55±3.61 1.99±3.61 0.680
Pulmonary function test 39
FEV1 (L/min) 1.96±0.62 1.74±0.55 0.244
FEV1 (%) 73.69±18.63 74.68±22.48 0.872
FVC (L/min) 2.38±0.80 2.10±0.65 0.244
FVC (%) 68.18±19.56 69.09±20.14 0.888
FEV1/FVC (%) 83.53±7.34 82.86±6.34 0.763

Unless otherwise indicated, values are frequency (percentage) or mean±standard deviation (SD). Pts: patients, UIP: usual interstitial pneumonia, NSIP: nonspecific interstitial pneumonia, CTD: connective tissue diseases, WBC: white blood cell, ESR: erythrocyte sedimentation rate, CRP: C-reactive protein, LDH: lactate dehydrogenase, ANA: antinuclear antibody, BAL: bronchoalveolar lavage, FEV1: forced expiratory volume 1, FVC: forced vital capacity

Table 3.
Pathologic diagnosis of NSIP and UIP with connective tissue disease
Connective tissue diseases n Biopsy- proven NSIP Biopsy- proven UIP
40 18 (45%) 22 (55%)
Rheumatoid arthritis 5 1 4
Systemic sclerosis 10 2 8
Systemic lupus erythematosus 6 5 1
Inflammatory myopathy∗ 8 7 1
Mixed connective tissue disease 4 2 2
Sjogren's syndrome 3 0 3
Undifferentiated connective tissue disease 2 0 2
Overlap syndrome 2 1 1

∗Including polymyositis, dermatomyositis, focal myositis. Unless otherwise indicated, values are frequency. UIP: usual interstitial pneumonia, NSIP: nonspecific interstitial pneumonia

Table 4.
Extent of individual HRCT pattern on initial HRCT and Inter-scan change in HRCT pattern in patients with CTD-ILD
Pattern Initial extent p-value Inter-scan change p-value
UIP NSIP UIP p-value NSIP
GGO 16.0±10.5 17.3± 12.1 0.779 -0.50±11.89 0.932 0.94±8.61 0.675
Consolidation 8.5±12.0 11.3±12.0 0.569 4.50±17.55 0.581 -2.18±7.30 0.107
Honeycombing 22.5±19.0 2.7±7.0 0.010 3.00±18.29 0.351 5.63±15.15 0.068
Reticulation 22.5±11.8 13.0±8.2 0.026 1.00±8.76 0.705 4.68±6.70 0.024

Unless otherwise indicated, values are frequency (percentage) or mean±standard deviation (SD). p-value calculated by Wilcoxon signed ranks test. UIP: usual interstitial pneumonia, NSIP: nonspecific interstitial pneumonia, GGO: ground-glass opacity

Table 5.
Relationship between initial PFT and inter-scan change of individual HRCT pattern in patients with CTD-ILD
NSIP
G C H R
Bronchoalveolar lavage
Macrophage -0.145 0.187 0.157 0.367
Neutrophil 0.159 0.069 -0.226 -0.038
lymphocytes -0.198 -0.196 -0.065 0.402
Pulmonary function test
FEV1 (L/min) -0.139 0.102 0.363 0.359
FVC (L/min) 0.046 0.076 0.523 0.375
Laboratory data
WBC (/L) 0.119 0.089 0.596∗ -0.087
ESR (mm/hr) -0.298 0.175 0.105 -0.373
CRP (mg/dL) 0.320 0.037 0.272 -0.328

∗p<0.05, coefficient variable (r) calculated by Spearman's rho correlation. PFT: pulmonary function test, HRCT: high resolution computed tomography, CTD: connective tissue disease, ILD: interstitial lung disease, NSIP: nonspecific interstitial pneumonia, G: interval change of ground glass opacity, C: interval change of consolidation, H: interval change of honeycombing, R: interval change of reticulation, FEV1: forced expiratory volume in 1 sec, FVC: forced vital capacity, WBC: white blood cell, ESR: erythrocyte sedimentation rate, CRP: C-reactive protein

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