Pulmonary alveolar proteinosis: a rare pulmonary toxicity of sirolimus

Transpl Int. 2007 Mar;20(3):291-6. doi: 10.1111/j.1432-2277.2006.00408.x.

Abstract

The aim of our paper is to describe an unusual pulmonary toxicity of sirolimus (SRL) in a kidney transplant recipient. We present a 34-year-old woman with a second renal transplantation, complicated with steroid-resistant acute rejection and chronic allograft dysfunction. Two years after initiating SRL, she presented complaints of progressive dyspnoea, nonproductive cough, chest pain and low-grade fever of 1 month duration. She had chronic allograft nephropathy and slight elevation of lactic dehydrogenase levels. After exclusion of common reasons of this condition, a computed tomography (CT) of the thorax and bronchoscopy was performed, revealing ground-glass opacification with polygonal shapes on CT and an opaque appearance with numerous macrophages on bronchoalveolar lavage. The alveolar macrophages stained positive by Periodic acid-Schiff. Diagnosis of pulmonary alveolar proteinosis (PAP) was made and drug-induced toxicity was suspected. SRL was withdrawn with marked improvement in the patients' clinical and radiological status. PAP resolved within 3 months without further therapy. PAP is a very rare complication of SRL therapy with only a few cases described. Withdrawal of SRL with conversion to another immunosuppressant seems to be an appropriate procedure in this condition.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Immunosuppressive Agents / adverse effects*
  • Kidney Transplantation / adverse effects*
  • Pulmonary Alveolar Proteinosis / chemically induced*
  • Pulmonary Alveolar Proteinosis / diagnostic imaging
  • Sirolimus / adverse effects*
  • Tomography, X-Ray Computed

Substances

  • Immunosuppressive Agents
  • Sirolimus