Amiodarone pulmonary toxicity: a patient with three recurrences of pulmonary toxicity and consideration of the probable risk for relapse

Intern Med. 2006;45(22):1303-7. doi: 10.2169/internalmedicine.45.1800. Epub 2006 Dec 15.

Abstract

A 44-year-old man was treated with amiodarone for dilated cardiomyopathy. After 53 months, he developed amiodarone-induced interstitial pneumonia. Amiodarone treatment was terminated, and the patient was given corticosteroids. These treatments were effective. However, pneumonitis recurred whenever prednisolone was reduced to less than 5 mg per day. Considering the patient's background characteristics, we considered his body mass index (BMI, kg/m(2)) and found his to be high. When four additional patients with amiodarone pulmonary toxicity were reviewed at our institute, a correlation between BMI and the duration of shadow disappearance was found (R(2)=0.8695). Because amiodarone is lipophilic, the patient's high BMI might have influenced the repeated appearance of pulmonary toxicity.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Amiodarone / adverse effects*
  • Amiodarone / therapeutic use
  • Anti-Arrhythmia Agents / adverse effects*
  • Anti-Arrhythmia Agents / therapeutic use
  • Anti-Inflammatory Agents / administration & dosage
  • Anti-Inflammatory Agents / therapeutic use
  • Body Mass Index
  • Cardiomyopathy, Dilated / drug therapy*
  • Cardiomyopathy, Dilated / pathology
  • Dose-Response Relationship, Drug
  • Humans
  • Lung Diseases, Interstitial / chemically induced*
  • Lung Diseases, Interstitial / diagnostic imaging
  • Lung Diseases, Interstitial / drug therapy
  • Male
  • Prednisolone / administration & dosage
  • Prednisolone / therapeutic use
  • Radiography, Thoracic
  • Recurrence
  • Retreatment
  • Tomography, X-Ray Computed

Substances

  • Anti-Arrhythmia Agents
  • Anti-Inflammatory Agents
  • Prednisolone
  • Amiodarone