Bronchiectasis and rheumatoid disease: is there an association?

Rheumatoid arthritis is associated with a number of pleuropulmonary disorders. A retrospective study of the frequency of rheumatoid disease in patients with bronchiectasis and pulmonary fibrosis was performed. The results suggest that the frequency of bronchiectasis and rheumatoid disease is similar to that of the well established, but rare, association between pulmonary fibrosis and rheumatoid arthritis. We therefore suggest that bronchiectasis should be remembered as a pulmonary association of rheumatoid disease which occurs as commonly as pulmonary fibrosis.