Pulmonary Complications of Gastrointestinal Disorders

SummaryThe pulmonary involvement concurrent with gastrointestinal (GI) diseases is often clinically subtle. Radiological manifestations might lag behind the respiratory compromise, and only such specialized testing as high resolution computed tomography (HRCT), permeability studies with labelled proteins, or comprehensive pulmonary function tests (PFTs) may be sensitive enough to detect the evolving pathophysiology. Increasing recognition of specific entities, such as immune-mediated alveolitis, will allow implementation of therapies that can significantly improve a patient's prognosis.