Severe airway obstruction associated with rheumatoid arthritis and Sjögren's syndrome. A case report

Numerous pulmonary complications associated with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and Sjögren's syndrome (SS) have been described. Mild airway obstruction has recently been recognized in these disorders, severe obstruction occurring in only a few patients with RA. We report a patient with RA and SS who developed severe irreversible airway obstruction, an association not hitherto described. The airway disease failed to respond to bronchodilators, steroids or immunosuppressive agents.