Rheumatoid arthritis–associated interstitial lung disease: Current approaches and HK data
17 Apr 2024
byProf. Vanessa Smith
Department of Internal Medicine
Ghent University
Ghent, Belgium, Dr. Shirley Chan
Division of Rheumatology and Clinical Immunology
University of Hong Kong
Interstitial lung disease (ILD) is a serious complication of rheumatoid arthritis (RA), contributing to increased morbidity and mortality. At a symposium during the 2023 International Conference of Chinese Rheumatologists (ICCR) held in Hong Kong, Professor Vanessa Smith of the Department of Internal Medicine, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium, discussed the importance of early identification and management of patients with RA-ILD, and highlighted the value of the antifibrotic drug, nintedanib, in slowing lung function decline in progressive RAILD. Dr Shirley Chan of the Division of Rheumatology and Clinical Immunology, the University of Hong Kong, reported preliminary results from the RAISE study – a local study of RA-ILD screening and evaluation in high-risk RA patients.