Pulmonary tuberculosis in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (four case reports)

Pulmonary involvement is one of the most common extra-articular manifestations of rheumatoid arthritis (RA). We studied four smear-positivepulmonary tuberculosis patients who had had RA for 2.5-12 years. Three of them were using corticosteroids at the time of diagnosis. The clinical, radiological and bacteriological features of all the patients were examined. We conclude that when patients with RA have symptoms related to pulmonary involvement, tuberculosis should be considered, particularly in developing countries.