Pneumopathies infiltrantes diffuses : les auto-anticorps en pratique clinique

The clinical, computed tomography, cytological, and histological aspects of interstitial lung disease complicating an autoimmune disease lack specificity. Search for autoantibodies in the serum is thus warranted once the essentially clinical diagnosis has been established. An exhaustive history taking should aim at identifying extrathoracic elements of a possible systemic autoimmune disease. The battery of the biological tests which can be useful are discussed here in light of the diagnostic, prognostic, therapeutic, and even conceptual aspects of the disease. For the clinician, a simplified analysis of the main methods and the interpretation of immunological tests is discussed together with new tools currently under development.