Abstract

Pulmonary involvement of ankylosing spondylitis (AS) was determined by using chest radiography, pulmonary function tests (PFT), bronchoalveolar lavage and transbronchial biopsy. Recently, high resolution computed tomography (HRCT) was introduced as a new technique superior to standart radiograms. We investigated the superiority of HRCT to standart radiography in demonstrating pulmonary findings of AS.

24 patients (12 male and 12 female) diagnosed as AS according to Modified New York Criteria were included in the study. The mean age was 37,8±9.2 and disease duration was between 3 months-35 years (>15 years in 8 patients). Twenty–one of the cases were in remission and active disease findings were observed in three. On physical examination chest expansion of 15 patients were limited.

All patients were evaluated by history and physical examination, pulmonary function tests, chest radiography and thorax HRCT. Five patients were smokers. Three of them had cough and 4 had dispnea on exertion. Chest oscultation findings were normal. Five restrictive and 1 mild obstructive pattern (in a smoker) was determined on PFT. Posteroanterior chest radiography of all subjects were normal. HRCT findings included apical zone emphysema in 3 patients, minimal localised fibrosis in 3 patients and pleural plaque in 2 patients. Pulmonary involvement of ankylosing spondylitis was not detected in HRCT.