Approach to interstitial lung disease associated with systemic sclerosis-A survey to pulmonologists and rheumatologists in Colombia.

INTRODUCTION: Interstitial lung disease is a leading cause of mortality in patients with systemic sclerosis. Currently, there is a lack of consensus regarding screening, rescreening, diagnosis, and follow-up practices in interstitial lung disease associated with systemic sclerosis (SSc-ILD) in Colombia. METHODS: A structured survey focused on clinical practices in patients with SSc-ILD was conducted. Members of the Asociación Colombiana de Neumología y Cirugía de Tórax (Asoneumocito) and the Asociación Colombiana de Reumatología (Asoreuma) were invited to participate from March 2023 to May 2023. RESULTS: We surveyed 51 pulmonologists and 44 rheumatologists. Overall, 51.6% reported having access to multidisciplinary team discussion in ILD. Among the 95 participants, 78.9% would routinely perform a high-resolution computed tomography scan of the chest once a diagnosis of systemic sclerosis was established. This practice is more frequent among rheumatologists (84.1%) than among pulmonologists (74.5%). Approximately half of the participants would rescreen patients annually with computed tomography scan (56.8%) if baseline images were negative. Spirometry (81.1%), diffusing capacity of the lung for carbon monoxide (80.0%), and 6-min walk test (55.8%) were the most frequently performed tests upon diagnosis of systemic sclerosis. During follow-up, participants would consider repeating pulmonary function tests mostly every 6 months. CONCLUSIONS: Screening of SSc-ILD is high among pulmonologists and rheumatologists. Decision-making on diagnosis and follow-up is similar between specialties, but there are variations in their frequency and indications. Further research is needed to evaluate how to adapt recommendations for assessing SSc-ILD in different settings.

Pannus y artritis reumatoide: evolución histórica y fisiopatológica / Pannus and rheumatoid arthritis: Historic and pathophysiological evolution

RESUMEN La proliferación del tejido sinovial, que es llamada pannus, se ha considerado como una manifestación tardía, inactiva e irreversible de la artritis reumatoide (AR), contrario a lo que históricamente se ha estudiado. Se realizó una búsqueda de la literatura para realizar una revisión narrativa e histórica respecto al surgimiento del término pannus y su papel en la artritis reumatoide. Estudios de microscopia de luz han mostrado el carácter destructivo de este tejido con hallazgos característicos de la AR, corroborados con microscopia electrónica arios más tarde. Estos hallazgos llevaron a caracterizar el componente celular del pannus con gran número de células inmunológicas y de líneas celulares específicas con propiedades especiales como los sinoviocitos similares a fibroblastos. Este componente celular es el origen de una gran cantidad de citoquinas y proteinasas que perpetúan y causan el daño óseo y del cartílago. Este componente inflamatorio ha sido evidente también con el desarrollo de técnicas de imágenes, como la resonancia magnética y la ultrasonografía, que muestran un papel activo del tejido sinovial engrosado, junto a la hipervascularización en el daño articular y la reversibilidad de estos cambios tras el tratamiento. Las evidencias contempladas permiten concluir que el pannus como evidencia histológica (más que clínica) se refiere a la proliferación del tejido sinovial e incluye un gran componente celular activo que genera y perpetúa la inflamación y, por tanto, la enfermedad.

ABSTRACT Pannus refers to synovial tissue proliferation, and has been considered a late, inactive and irreversible manifestation of rheumatoid arthritis (RA), contrary to historical findings. A literature search was performed on terminology about pannus and its historical role in the pathophysiology of RA. Light microscopy studies have shown the destructive impact of pannus tissue with very specific abnormalities, corroborated a year later with electronic microscopy. Some of these findings are the isolation of the immunological cells inside the tissue, especially one cell line with particular capacities, called synoviocytes similar to fibroblasts. This cellular component is the source a large quantity of cytokines and proteinases that perpetuate and cause bone and cartilage damage. Inflammation has been seen in many image techniques, such as magnetic resonance and ultrasound. These show the role of tissue widening and hyper-vascularization in tissue damage, and some reversibility after treatment of RA. With the evidence presented it is possible to conclude that pannus refers to a histological (more than clinical) term for synovial hypertrophy, and includes a large component of cell activity that generates and perpetuates inflammation and thus the disease.