A 54-year-old woman with primary Sjögren syndrome (anti-RO/SSA and anti-LA/SSB positive) presents with progressive dry cough and exertional dyspnea over 12 months. HRCT chest shows diffuse bilateral centrilobular nodules, thin-walled cysts, and ground-glass opacities. Bronchoalveolar lavage reveals lymphocytic alveolitis with >30% lymphocytes. The pulmonary function pattern marked **B** in the diagram is demonstrated. Which of the following best explains why the DLCO is disproportionately reduced compared to the reduction in FVC and FEV1 in this patient?
Ready to test yourself?
Test your Medicine knowledge with AI-powered MCQs and detailed explanations — no signup required to try.
Sign up free and practice all 1 Sjögren-Associated LIP MCQs with AI-powered explanations tailored to your performance.
Create Free Account