[Follicular bronchiolitis in connective tissue disease and its repercussions on the pulmonary arteries]

Connective tissue diseases may be associated with both an obstructive or a restrictive ventilatory defect. RAdiographic and microscopic findings usually reveal interstitial disease. This study describes a series of 11 patients with a connective tissue disease. Radiologically an interstitial pattern was observed, however, lung biopsies disclosed a bronchiolar lesion in which no pathology could be detected in alveolar septa. Vascular lesions were present in some cases an correlated roughly with time of onset. The bronchiolar lesions had no correlation with time of onset. We conclude that "interstitial disease" diagnosed by X-rays and pulmonary function studies may in fact, be caused by thickening of bronchioles and some blood vessels.