TB or Not TB, That is the Question?

Br J Hosp Med (Lond). 2024 Oct 30;85(10):1-7. doi: 10.12968/hmed.2024.0180. Epub 2024 Oct 27.

Abstract

A 26-year-old female presented with a 3-month history of dry cough, unintentional weight loss, night sweats and fatigue. Her background history was significant for ulcerative colitis, managed with Adalimumab for almost 2 years. Clinical examination was unremarkable, apart from some mild pallor. Abnormal chest x-ray findings prompted a computerised tomography (CT) thorax which demonstrated multifocal peri-bronchial consolidation. The differential diagnosis was multifocal organising pneumonia and tuberculosis (TB). Extensive investigations, including invasive bronchial imaging and biopsy, ultimately ruled out TB. This paper reports a case of Adalimumab-induced organising pneumonia and discusses its clinical implications.

Keywords: Adalimumab; immunosuppression; organising pneumonia; tuberculosis.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Adalimumab* / therapeutic use
  • Adult
  • Anti-Inflammatory Agents / therapeutic use
  • Colitis, Ulcerative / diagnosis
  • Colitis, Ulcerative / drug therapy
  • Cryptogenic Organizing Pneumonia / diagnosis
  • Cryptogenic Organizing Pneumonia / diagnostic imaging
  • Cryptogenic Organizing Pneumonia / drug therapy
  • Diagnosis, Differential
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Tomography, X-Ray Computed*
  • Tuberculosis, Pulmonary / diagnosis
  • Tuberculosis, Pulmonary / drug therapy

Substances

  • Adalimumab
  • Anti-Inflammatory Agents