Pneumonitis secondary to alemtuzumab in a patient with multiple sclerosis - A non-infectious cause of breathlessness

D Whiteside; S Barth; A Datta; S A Trip

doi:10.1016/j.msard.2018.04.002

Pneumonitis secondary to alemtuzumab in a patient with multiple sclerosis - A non-infectious cause of breathlessness

Mult Scler Relat Disord. 2018 May:22:139-140. doi: 10.1016/j.msard.2018.04.002. Epub 2018 Apr 3.

Authors

D Whiteside¹, S Barth², A Datta², S A Trip³

Affiliations

¹ Department of Neurology, Northwick Park Hospital, London, UK.
² Department of Respiratory Medicine, Northwick Park Hospital, London, UK.
³ Department of Neurology, Northwick Park Hospital, London, UK; Queen Square MS Centre, National Hospital for Neurology & Neurosurgery, London, UK. Electronic address: [email protected].

PMID: 29684788
DOI: 10.1016/j.msard.2018.04.002

Abstract

The most common adverse events associated with the monoclonal antibody alemtuzumab are infusion associated reactions and secondary autoimmune disease. Respiratory complications are unusual following treatment with alemtuzumab, but can be precipitated by an infectious cause. We describe a case of a sub-acute steroid responsive non-infectious pneumonitis affecting a 51 year old woman, who presented one month after initiation of therapy for multiple sclerosis with alemtuzumab.

Keywords: Alemtuzumab; Interstitial; Lung diseases; Multiple sclerosis.

Publication types

Case Reports

MeSH terms

Alemtuzumab / adverse effects*
Alemtuzumab / therapeutic use
Diagnosis, Differential
Dyspnea / diagnosis
Dyspnea / drug therapy
Dyspnea / etiology*
Female
Humans
Immunologic Factors / adverse effects*
Immunologic Factors / therapeutic use
Middle Aged
Multiple Sclerosis, Relapsing-Remitting / drug therapy*
Pneumonia / diagnosis
Pneumonia / drug therapy
Pneumonia / etiology*

Substances

Immunologic Factors
Alemtuzumab