Case Report
Cigarettes-induced acute eosinophilic pneumonia: a case report
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* Corresponding author: Leenhapong Navaravong nava0057@umn.edu
1 Medicine Education Office, MMC 284 Mayo, 8284, 420 Delaware Street SE, Minneapolis, Minnesota, 55455, USA
2 Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Regions Hospital, 640 Jackson St, Room 3571, St Paul, Minnesota, 55101, USA
Cases Journal 2008, 1:414 doi:10.1186/1757-1626-1-414
Published: 23 December 2008Abstract
Background
Idiopathic acute eosinophilic pneumonia is a rare disease. It presents with acute febrile illness, respiratory insufficiency, pulmonary infiltration and high eosinophil levels in Bronchoalveolar lavage fluid. Pathogenesis is not well understood, but may relate to the exposure to exogenous substances.
Case presentation
We present a case of 20-year-old man, who developed idiopathic acute eosinophilic pneumonia after smoking cigarettes and required intubation with mechanical ventilation. His symptoms resolved quickly after corticosteroids therapy.
Conclusion
Acute eosinophilic pneumonia should be considered in the differential diagnosis of a patient with acute febrile respiratory illness, diffuse bilateral pulmonary infiltrates and recent modification in smoking habit.