Rheumatoid arthritis and pulmonary hypertension. A report of three cases.

Three women with well established rheumatoid arthritis (RA) who developed pulmonary hypertension during the course of their disease are reported. In one patient there was mild pulmonary fibrosis but this appeared unrelated to the severity of the pulmonary hypertension. Another patient had increased platelet stickiness which may have contributed to this complication, whereas in the third patient, no contributing factors were apparent. The pulmonary complications of RA and their relationship to the development of pulmonary hypertension are discussed.