"blood tests have limited sensitivity and specificity; ESR and CRP may be normal, and definitive categorisation may be impossible due to overlapping autoantibody results - these are most useful when there is a high pre-test probability 2"
"UIP is the most common HRCT finding 6"
"anterior upper lobe honeycombing is more commonly seen in RA-ILD"
"combined NSIP-organising pneumonia pattern is suggestive of idiopathic inflammatory myopathy 3"
"blood tests have limited sensitivity and specificity; ESR and CRP may be normal, and definitive categorisation may be impossible due to overlapping autoantibody results - these are most useful when there is a high pre-test probability 2"
"Connective tissue disease-related interstitial lung disease (CTD-ILD) is a heterogeneous group of interstitial lung diseases (ILD) and results from rheumatic immunity and multiple manifestations of respiratory complications affecting the airways, vessels, lung parenchyma, pleura, and respiratory muscles in certain patients with connective tissue disease. CTD-ILD should be suspected in younger patients, especially women and non-smokers, and particularly if there is involvement of the pleura, airways or vessels."
"The baseline lung function, prognosis and treatment of CTD-ILD differ from those of idiopathic ILD, so the distinction is clinically important."
"blood tests have limited sensitivity and specificity; ESR and CRP may be normal, and definitive categorisation may be impossible due to overlapping autoantibody results - these are most useful when there is a high pre-test probability 2"