Abstract

57 years old male patient, due to the increase in 15 years follow-up of RA patients under cyclosporine therapy because of complaints by the rheumatology clinic patients considered as appropriate to launch abatement was directed to us by the patient isoniazid prophylaxis. A pleural effusion was diagnosed on chest X-ray. The patient was accompanied by thoracentesis on USG. The pleural effusions were exudative. Tracking of fever, cough, sputum complaint and low acute phase reactants excluded empyema. ADA levels were under 70, and TB pleurisy was excluded by the lack of growth in ARB and culture results. The lung involvement of RA was suspected without interstitial lung disease.
Rheumatoid arthritis with interstitial lung disease is the commonest form of lung involvement; the incidence of pleural effusion and nodular lesions in the form is less common. Although pleural effusion has been reported before it was thought be caused by the new biological agents for treatment of rheumatoid arthritis.

Key words: Rheumatoid Arthritis; Pulmonary Involvement; Pleural Fluid; Nodular Infiltration.