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Rheumatoid arthritis-associated interstitial lung disease — SCE Rheumatology MCQ

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HardInflammatory ArthritisRheumatoid arthritis-associated interstitial lung diseaseSCE Rheumatology

A patient with rheumatoid arthritis has progressive dry cough, bibasal crackles, restrictive physiology and reduced transfer factor. Which complication best explains this pattern?

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Correct answer: DRheumatoid-associated interstitial lung disease

The best answer is “Rheumatoid-associated interstitial lung disease”. Progressive cough, basal crackles, restriction and impaired gas transfer are characteristic of rheumatoid-associated interstitial lung disease; high-resolution CT is then used to define its pattern and extent. The remaining choices—“Primary pulmonary arterial hypertension syndrome”, “Acute community-acquired bacterial lobar pneumonia”, “Isolated inflammatory cricoarytenoid joint disease”, “Methotrexate-associated oral and gastrointestinal mucositis”—are credible in related rheumatology presentations, but each addresses a different diagnosis, investigation, treatment sequence or complication and does not fit the decisive findings in this stem.

Reference: NICE NG100 rheumatoid arthritis in adults: https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/ng100/chapter/Recommendations