Estudos recentes têm sugerido uma associação entre hipertensão arterial pulmonar (HAP) e tireoidopatias (hipotireoidismo e hipertireoidismo). Esta associação tem um bom prognóstico, porque o aumento na pressão da artéria pulmonar geralmente é leve e reversível com o tratamento da tireoidopatia. O mecanismo exato envolvido na patogênese desta associação não está estabelecido, e a influência direta dos hormônios da tireoide e a autoimunidade são consideradas como hipóteses. Devido à alta prevalência de doenças da tireoide em pacientes com HAP, testes de função tireoidiana devem ser considerados na investigação de todo paciente com HAP. Neste artigo de revisão, descrevemos a prevalência de HAP em pacientes com doenças da tireoide e a prevalência de tireoidopatias em pacientes com HAP, assim como destacamos os principais efeitos das doenças da tireoide no sistema respiratório. A seguir, relatamos os efeitos do tratamento destas patologias.

Recent studies have suggested an association between pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) and thyroid diseases (hypothyroidism and hyperthyroidism). This combination has a good prognosis, because the increase in the pulmonary artery pressure is usually slight and reverses after the treatment of the thyroid disease. Although the exact mechanism involved in the pathogenesis of this combination has not yet been established, it has been hypothesized that thyroid hormones and autoimmunity have a direct influence. Due to the high prevalence of thyroid disease in patients with PAH, thyroid function tests should be considered in the investigation of every patient with PAH. In this review, we describe the prevalence of PAH in patients with thyroid diseases and the prevalence of thyroid disease in patients with PAH, as well as addressing the principal effects that thyroid diseases have on the respiratory system. In addition, we report the treatment effects in patients with these diseases.

BACKGROUND: Cystic fibrosis (CF) is a disease marked by airway inflammation and airflow obstruction, resulting in air trapping in the lungs. OBJECTIVE: To assess the associations between airflow limitation, pulmonary volume and X-ray findings in patients with cystic fibrosis. METHOD: A cross-sectional retrospective study. Review of spirometric, plethysmographic, and chest X-ray findings of outpatients (age ³ 16 years). The airflow findings were classified as within normal limits or as airflow obstruction: mild, moderate or severe obstructive alteration. RESULTS: A total of 23 patients (15 male and eight female; mean age, 21 ± 5.9 years) were studied. Six of them were within normal limits, four had a mild, five had a moderate, and eight had a severe obstructive alteration. There was an association between airflow limitation and the increase of residual volume (p = 0.006) and also with the Brasfield score (p = 0.001), but not with the total lung capacity (p = 0.33). There was a correlation between residual volume and Brasfield score (r = 0,73, p = 0,002), but not with the total pulmonary capacity. Moreover, according to X-ray criteria, the air trapping was correlated only with the residual volume (p = 0.006). CONCLUSION: In patients with cystic fibrosis (age ³ 16 years), the progressive airflow limitation is accompanied by an increase in residual volume, while the total pulmonary capacity remains normal or tends to decrease. The X-ray score was associated with airflow limitation and residual volume, but not with total lung capacity.