Methotrexate-Associated Lung disease | Arthritis Information
Here is a link for Methotrexate-Associated Lung disease:
The MTX- Assoc Lung disease is about 2/3 of the way down. This topic was brought up recently.
Since I developed ILD prior to starting MXT, I fear the disease much more than the medications. My CT hasn't showed any change in the last 5 years. When and if it does I'll stop MXT to be on the safe side. My team monitors my pulmonary status closely and I have an appt. with a new pulmonologist next month for evaluation. If my CT has changed then so will my medications. It will be 50/50 if it changes because of MXT or RA but I'll not take the chance and stop MXT.
I hope that eveyone reads the entire article and not just the small part about MXT. There is more to fear about the disease than the medications that are prescribed to treat it. If you've had a history of a cough, chest colds, pneumonia or shortness of breath along with RA then you should be evaluated by a pulmonologist. Ask for a referral. Lindy
Information is always a good thing
What is Lung Disease?
At that point, then, the question became, what exactly is rheumatoid lung disease? It can be any one of the following, listed again from most common to the least common:
- Pleural involvement (pleurisy, effusions)
- Pulmonary parenchymal nodules
- Rheumatoid-associated interstitial lung disease
- Bronchiolitis obliterans organizing pneumonia
- Obliterative bronchiolitis (obstructive lung disease/bronchiectasis)
- Rheumatoid-associated pulmonary hypertension
- Pulmonary vasculitis/arteritis
- Shrinking lung syndrome
- Miscellaneous: MTX, cricoarytenoid arthritis, infection, cancer
It's interesting to note that these studies in the late 1940s and 1950s were really describing interstitial lung disease with RA, and then Caplan obviously described pneumoconiosis associated with pulmonary nodulosis. But there’s a whole host of other types of lung involvement that can be seen with RA.
thank you ladies for bringing up the points that are truly IMPORTANT in that article..
some of us do read the entire articles and don't take for truths the small introduction posted ......
[QUOTE=LinB]eveyone reads the entire article and not just the small part about MXT. There is more to fear about the disease than the medications that are prescribed to treat it. [/QUOTE]
Precisely. With the numerous articles and experiences that have been posted of late regarding the destructive aspects of uncontrolled inflammation it is imperative that we, as a group, do not become so immersed in the side-effects of treatments that we lose sight of the effects/affects of uncontrolled or undercontrolled inflammation.
Thanks Lindy and Lynn for the reminders to look beyond and around the obvious to the core of the matter under examination.
Cheers.
[QUOTE=Spelunker] regarding the destructive aspects of uncontrolled inflammation it is imperative that we, as a group, do not become so immersed in the side-effects of treatments that we lose sight of the effects/affects of uncontrolled or undercontrolled inflammation.
[/QUOTE]
precisely.
Just another example of Jan Lucinda slamming traditional meds and god forbid we say anything against AP!I do often feel overwhelmed by both the disease, and the med side effects. However, these past couple months have allowed me to see what uncontrolled RA can do. RD feels the MTX is not the culprit, but the RA is. Remember though, MTX is a lifesaving med for many.
Control it how you wish-everybody is different. This is a study that was done some years ago. There may be a newer study(s) I am just not into searching it right now, too nice out. Anyway, this study shows some of what they believe to be "culprits" in the causes of ra/methotrexate lung disease. What i would like to find and will if someone else doesn't search it (hint, hint), is what is the percentage of ra/methotrexate users are diagnosed with methotrexate lung disease.
Risk Factors for Methotrexate-Induced Lung Injury in Patients with Rheumatoid Arthritis: A Multicenter, Case-Control Study
[QUOTE=rocckyd]I do often feel overwhelmed by both the disease, and the med side effects. However, these past couple months have allowed me to see what uncontrolled RA can do. RD feels the MTX is not the culprit, but the RA is. Remember though, MTX is a lifesaving med for many.
Control it how you wish-everybody is different. [/QUOTE]
Hope you are doing O.K.
[QUOTE=rocckyd]I do often feel overwhelmed by both the disease, and the med side effects. However, these past couple months have allowed me to see what uncontrolled RA can do. RD feels the MTX is not the culprit, but the RA is. Remember though, MTX is a lifesaving med for many.
Control it how you wish-everybody is different. [/QUOTE]
the key is: control
Copyright ArthritisInsight.com