Eosinophilic pneumonia (EP) associated with rheumatoid arthritis in which drug-induced eosinophilic pneumonia could be ruled out

Intern Med. 2008;47(6):527-31. doi: 10.2169/internalmedicine.47.0644. Epub 2008 Mar 17.

Abstract

A 72 year-old man. He was diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis in 2002. In January 2005 he noted productive cough and fever; he was diagnosed as eosinophilic pneumonia (EP). We discontinued administration of bucillamine and methotrexate and started to treat with oral prednisolone 30 mg daily. To rule out drug-induced EP, prednisolone was tapered by 10 mg per week. Consolidation occurred in the right lower lobe when prednisolone was decreased to 5 mg daily. After increasing the dose of prednisolone to 30 mg daily again, consolidation was promptly resolved. It was considered to be important to rule out drug-induced EP.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Aged
  • Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal / therapeutic use
  • Antirheumatic Agents / therapeutic use
  • Arthritis, Rheumatoid / complications*
  • Arthritis, Rheumatoid / drug therapy
  • Cysteine / analogs & derivatives
  • Cysteine / therapeutic use
  • Diagnosis, Differential
  • Glucocorticoids / adverse effects
  • Glucocorticoids / therapeutic use
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Methotrexate / therapeutic use
  • Prednisolone / adverse effects
  • Prednisolone / therapeutic use
  • Pulmonary Eosinophilia / chemically induced
  • Pulmonary Eosinophilia / diagnosis*
  • Pulmonary Eosinophilia / etiology*

Substances

  • Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal
  • Antirheumatic Agents
  • Glucocorticoids
  • Prednisolone
  • Cysteine
  • bucillamine
  • Methotrexate