Mannose-binding lectin (MBL) deficiency is more frequent in rheumatoid arthritis patients with coexistant bronchiectasis than in patients with rheumatoid arthritis alone or bronchiectasis alone.

With the permission of the heads of department of both Rheumatology and Respiratory medicine at Fremantle Hospital, an audit will take place of patients attending the outpatient clinic of both of these departments between 2006 and 2010. At the same time an audit of patients attending the private rooms of one of the investigators will also be carried out. This audit will identify subjects who have had a serum MBL level measured at some part of their disease investigation and who have a diagnosis of rheumatoid arthritis alone, bronchiectasis alone, or coexisting RA and bronchiectasis. Once the patients have been identified, data including age, sex and details of diagnosis will be collated from the existing patient record. The audit and data collection will take place over a 3 month period commencing September 2011.