The Pleural Effusion Occurred by Exacerbation of Irregularly Treated Rheumatoid Arthritis Patient

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a systemic disease with symmetrical, polyarticular joint involvement. In patients with RA, pleural effusion usually occurs a few years after the onset of the disease and is often considered as a disease exacerbation. RA may cause pleural effusion, interstitial lung disease, pleuritis, airway disease and rheumatoid nodule in the lungs. Aseptic exudative pleural effusions with low pH, low glucose and high lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) values might be seen in RA. Diagnosis is usually made by exclusion of other pleural fluid causes. In this study, a 52-year-old patient who was diagnosed as RA 6 months ago and treated irregularly was presented to emphasize that pleural effusion may develop in patients with irregular RA. The patient had previously undiagnosed chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and the patient’s COPD treatment was also regulated. It should not be forgotten that pleural effusion may develop among RA patients with irregular treatment