A case of clinical overlap syndrome of rheumatoid arthritis and amyopathic dermatomyositis with multiple pulmonary injuries

: Autoimmune diseases can cause various kinds of lung injuries. Clinical features of a case of overlap syndrome with multiple pulmonary injuries were investigated, and the treatment experiences discussed. The patient suffered from rheumatoid arthritis (RA) at first, and then had a lobectomy surgery due to the rheumatoid nodules in her right lung. A year later her disease was diagnosed as amyopathic dermatomyositis (ADM) with typical Gottron's sign, craftsmen hands and rapid-progressive organizing pneumonia (OP). After a combined treatment with glucocorticoids (GCs) and cyclophosphamide (CTX), her OP became better but lung infections progressed. Her lung infections eventually were cured after we used antibiotics and antifungal treatment while we ceased to use CTX and reduced the dosage of GCs. The clinical feature of the patient was overlap syndrome with a variety of lung injuries, such as pulmonary rheumatoid nodules, OP, secondary bronchopleural fistula and lung infections. Its diagnosis and treatment experiences could improve our understanding of pulmonary manifestations of connective tissue disease and improve our diagnosis and treatment level.