After the re-analysis of rheumatological and radiological diagnoses, 27 patients were excluded for not having confirmed CTD-ILD. Clinical information and laboratory test results (Table S1 ) were gathered from the patient records of KUH. The results of pulmonary function tests were gathered at baseline ± three months.
The order of CTD/ILD presentation was determined from the medical records. If the patient revealed both CTD- and ILD- related symptoms, signs, or findings on the first contact to either rheumatologist or pulmonologist, the disease onset was defined as simultaneous.
The disease onset was defined as acute if the patient needed hospitalization at the onset of ILD. These patients were further divided into those who were admitted to intensive care and those admitted to pulmonology ward. If the patient was managed on an outpatient setting, the disease onset was defined as subacute/chronic. In all cases with a possibility of an acute respiratory infection, appropriate microbiological samples were collected according to the clinician’s consideration. Bronchoalveolar lavage was performed in 63.4% of the patients with an acute onset disease to exclude infections.
The study was conducted in accordance with the Declaration of Helsinki (as revised in 2013). According to Finnish legislation, no consents for inclusion are needed in retrospective register-based study. The study protocol was approved by the Ethics Committee, Hospital District of Northern Savo [statement No. 151/2015 (17/2013)]. In addition, organizational permission of KUH was obtained, which enabled data collection from the hospital registries.
The order of CTD/ILD presentation was determined from the medical records. If the patient revealed both CTD- and ILD- related symptoms, signs, or findings on the first contact to either rheumatologist or pulmonologist, the disease onset was defined as simultaneous.
The disease onset was defined as acute if the patient needed hospitalization at the onset of ILD. These patients were further divided into those who were admitted to intensive care and those admitted to pulmonology ward. If the patient was managed on an outpatient setting, the disease onset was defined as subacute/chronic. In all cases with a possibility of an acute respiratory infection, appropriate microbiological samples were collected according to the clinician’s consideration. Bronchoalveolar lavage was performed in 63.4% of the patients with an acute onset disease to exclude infections.
The study was conducted in accordance with the Declaration of Helsinki (as revised in 2013). According to Finnish legislation, no consents for inclusion are needed in retrospective register-based study. The study protocol was approved by the Ethics Committee, Hospital District of Northern Savo [statement No. 151/2015 (17/2013)]. In addition, organizational permission of KUH was obtained, which enabled data collection from the hospital registries.
