Citation

Lin SS, Chen YC, Chang YL, Yeh DY, Lin CC. Chin. J. Physiol. (1960) 2014; 57(5): ePub.

Affiliation

Division of Chest Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, Shin Kong Wu Ho-Su Memorial Hospital, Taipei 11101, Taiwan, Republic of China.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2014, Chinese Physiological Society)

DOI

10.4077/CJP.2014.BAC201

PMID

25241990

Abstract

Eosinophilic pneumonia (EP) is a disease characterized by prominent infiltration of lung structures by eosinophils. The lung interstitium is infiltrated by eosinophils, and essentially the alveolar spaces are filled with eosinophils and a fibrinous exudate, with conservation of the global architecture of the lung. Diagnosis of EP relies on pathological demonstration of alveolar eosinophilia along with characteristic clinical manifestations of nonproductive cough, dyspnea, chest pain and/or unique imaging features. EP may be categorized according to the origin: EP of undetermined origin may overlap with well-individualized syndromes, while EP with a definite cause are mainly due to infections or drug abuse. Here, we report a case of an amphetamine abuser who developed acute EP and acute respiratory distress syndrome after amphetamine inhalation. Related studies on the pathogenesis of stimulant-related lung injury and treatment strategies are also discussed.

Language: en