Identification, Monitoring, and Management of Rheumatoid Arthritis–Associated Interstitial Lung Disease

Abstract

Interstitial lung disease (ILD) is a frequent complication of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) that is associated with a significant increase in mortality. Several risk factors for the development of ILD in patients with RA have been identified, but ILD can still develop in the absence of these risk factors. Screening tools for RA‐ILD are required to facilitate early detection of RA‐ILD. Close monitoring of patients with RA‐ILD for progression is crucial to enable timely implementation of treatment strategies to improve outcomes. Patients with RA are commonly treated with immunomodulatory therapies, although their efficacy in slowing the progression of RA‐ILD remains the subject of debate. Clinical trials have shown that antifibrotic therapies slow decline in lung function in patients with progressive fibrosing ILDs, including patients with RA‐ILD. The management of patients with RA‐ILD should be based on multidisciplinary evaluation of the severity and progression of their ILD and the activity of their articular disease. Close collaboration between rheumatologists and pulmonologists is essential to optimize patient care.