Abstract
Cough and sputum became severe in association with the occurence of rheumatoid arthritis in a 60 year-old female with a 10-year history of chronic bronchitis. The bronchial lesion was suspected to be related with rheumatoid arthritis by physical, functional and radiographic examinations of the lung. Transbronchial lung biopsy revealed bronchiolitis obliterans characterized by the obstruction of bronchioles and alveolar ducts by organized granulation. Bronchiolitis obliterans with rheumatoid arthritis has been generally considered to be progressive and resistant to corticosteroid therapy. However, in this case, respiratory symptoms and arthralgia improved markedly by non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and antibiotics, which suggested the early stage of bronchiolitis obliterans. The possibility of diffuse panbronchiolitis could not be ruled out completely in terms of both clinical and histological findings, thus further careful observation will be required.
