Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Pulmonary manifestations in inflammatory bowel disease: a prospective study

  • Original Article
  • Published:
Indian Journal of Gastroenterology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Background

Although pulmonary abnormalities have been recognized in patients with inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD), their prevalence and clinical significance are not known.

Aim

To study the prevalence and clinical significance of pulmonary abnormalities in patients with IBD.

Methods

Ninety-five non-consecutive patients with IBD (12 Crohn’s disease, 83 ulcerative colitis; mean age 41.9 [SD 13] years; 47 women) were prospectively studied from January 2007 to March 2010. Pulmonary function tests (PFT) and high-resolution CT (HRCT) chest were performed in them. PFT were compared to those in 270 healthy (control) subjects matched for age, sex and smoking status.

Results

Twenty-seven (28.5%) patients and 11 (4%) control subjects had abnormal PFT (p < 0.0001). Small airway obstruction was seen in 18 patients, restrictive defect in six and mixed defect in three. Twenty-one (22%) patients had abnormal HRCT findings – bronchiectasis and nodules (nine patients each, including one with nodules who later developed active tuberculosis after infliximab therapy), parenchymal bands (8), mediastinal lymphadenopathy (five, including two with tuberculosis on histology and culture), emphysema (5), brochiolitis (2), pleural effusion or thickening (2), pericardial effusion (2), patchy consolidation (1), ground-glass opacities (1) and lung metastasis (1). Three patients had symptoms (one asthma, two cough).

Conclusion

PFT and HRCT chest showed abnormality in about one-quarter of patients with IBD. A majority of patients with these abnormalities were asymptomatic.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. van Lierop PP, Samsom JN, Escher JC, et al. Role of the innate immune system in the pathogenesis of inflammatory bowel disease. J Pediatr Gastroenterol Nutr. 2009;48:142–51.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  2. Higenbottam T, Cochrane GM, Clark TJ, et al. Bronchial disease in ulcerative colitis. Thorax. 1980;35:581–5.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  3. Kraft SC, Earle RH, Roesler M, et al. Unexplained bronchopulmonary disease with inflammatory bowel disease. Arch Intern Med. 1976;136:454–9.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  4. Black H, Mendoza M, Murin S. Thoracic manifestations of inflammatory bowel disease. Chest. 2007;131:524–32.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  5. Tzanakis NE, Tsiligianni IG, Siafakas NM. Pulmonary involvement and allergic disorders in inflammatory bowel disease. World J Gastroenterol. 2010;16:299–305.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  6. Mahadeva R, Walsh G, Flower CD, et al. Clinical and radiological characteristics of lung disease in inflammatory bowel disease. Eur Respir J. 2000;15:41–8.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  7. Rothfuss KS, Stange EF, Herrlinger KR. Extraintestinal manifestations and complications in inflammatory bowel diseases. World J Gastroenterol. 2006;12:4819–31.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  8. Songur N, Songur Y, Tuzun M, et al. Pulmonary function tests and high-resolution CT in the detection of pulmonary involvement in inflammatory bowel disease. J Clin Gastroenterol. 2003;37:292–8.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  9. Camus P, Piard F, Ashcroft T, et al. The lung in inflammatory bowel disease. Medicine (Baltimore). 1993;72:151–83.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  10. Tzanakis N, Bouros D, Samiou M, et al. Lung function in patients with inflammatory bowel disease. Respir Med. 1998;92:516–22.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  11. Casey MB, Tazelaar HD, Myers JL, et al. Noninfectious lung pathology in patients with Crohn's disease. Am J Surg Pathol. 2003;27:213–9.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  12. Parry SD, Barbatzas C, Peel ET, et al. Sulphasalazine and lung toxicity. Eur Respir J. 2002;19:756–64.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  13. Herrlinger KR, Noftz MK, Dalhoff K, et al. Alterations in pulmonary function in inflammatory bowel disease are frequent and persist during remission. Am J Gastroenterol. 2002;97:377–81.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  14. Tunc B, Filik L, Bilgic F, et al. Pulmonary function tests, high-resolution computed tomography findings and inflammatory bowel disease. Acta Gastroenterol Belg. 2006;69:255–60.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  15. Sarioglu N, Turkel N, Sakar A, et al. Lung involvement in inflammatory bowel diseases. Ann Saudi Med. 2006;26:407–8.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  16. Sethy PK, Dutta U, Aggrawal AN, et al. Pulmonary and hematological alterations in idiopathic ulcerative colitis. Indian J Gastroenterol. 2003;22:176–9.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  17. Yilmaz A, Yilmaz Demirci N, Hosgün D, et al. Pulmonary involvement in inflammatory bowel disease. World J Gastroenterol. 2010;16:4952–7.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

Download references

Source of funding

This study was funded by the National Health and Education Society, Mumbai.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Division of Gastroenterology, P D Hinduja National Hospital, Veer Savarkar Marg, Mumbai, 400 016, India

    Devendra Desai, Samir Patil, Philip Abraham & Anand Joshi

  2. Chest Medicine, P D Hinduja National Hospital, Veer Savarkar Marg, Mumbai, 400 016, India

    Zarir Udwadia

  3. Department of Radiology, P D Hinduja National Hospital, Veer Savarkar Marg, Mumbai, 400 016, India

    Shailendra Maheshwari

Authors
  1. Devendra Desai
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Samir Patil
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Zarir Udwadia
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Shailendra Maheshwari
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Philip Abraham
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  6. Anand Joshi
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Devendra Desai.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Desai, D., Patil, S., Udwadia, Z. et al. Pulmonary manifestations in inflammatory bowel disease: a prospective study. Indian J Gastroenterol 30, 225–228 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12664-011-0129-1

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12664-011-0129-1

Keywords

Search

Navigation