Sjogren' s syndrome with pulmonary bullae in both lungs as lung imaging performance: A case report and literature review / 吉林大学学报(医学版)

ABSTRACT

Objective: To explore the clinical characteristics of Sjogren' s syndrome (SS) with pulmonary bullae in both lungs as lung imaging performance, to analyze the common lung imaging performance of SS, and to impove the clinicians' understanding of the common lung imaging performace of the SS patients. Methods: The clinical materials, the results of bronchoscope and pathological examination of a SS patient with pulmonary bullae in both lungs as lung imaging performance were collected, and the relative literatures were reviewed. Results: A young female patient with dyspnea and hemoptysis as the chief complaint was permitted to the hospital. The physical examination results showed rampant tooth and there were no other obvious positive signs. The chest CT results showed the pulmonary bullae in both lungs. Further rheumatism examinations, corneal staining, labial gland biopsy and other assistant examinations were performed, and the patient received the related treatment. The serum immunological results indicated anti-SSA, anti-SSB, and corneal staining (+), and the rheumatoid factors were all positive; the pathology of the lower labial gland biopsy showed the number of lymphocytes in each lesion 50; the patient was diagnosed as SS finally. The patient was treated with glucocorticoids and cyclophosphamide. After the treatment, the symptoms of the patient were improved. After discharged from the hospital, the patient was treated with glucocorticoids and cyclophosphamide continuously for 2 months. However, reviewing of chest CT showed no significant changes in the lung bullae in both lungs. Conclusion: SS is a connective tissue disease with diverse clinical manifestations. When the lungs are involved, the lung imaging performance also presents no specificity. When the patient' s chest CT indicates the presence of multiple pulmonary bullae in both lungs, and no causes are find out, the possibility of SS should be considered; so that early detection and early treatment should be performed, and misdiagnosis and delay treatment of illness can be avoided.