Clinical analysis of ten patients with chronic eosinophilic pneumonia

Abstract

Objective To investigate the clinical characteristics of chronic eosinophilic pneumonia (CEP)and improve the diagnosis and treatment of the disease.Methods We retrospectively analyzed the clinical data of patients hospitalized with CEP in Peking Union Medical College Hospital from January 1995 to January 2011.Results There were five males and five females in this study,three cases had coexisting allergic rhinitis,two had asthma.The clincal manifestations consisted of fevers(8/10),cough (8/10),expectoration(7/10),dyspnea(7/10),and chest pain(2/10).The respiratory signs consisted of rales(5/10),wheezes(2/10),coarse breath sounds(2/10),and inspiratory crackles(1/10).The blood eosinophilia were present in most case(9/10),mean(2.8 ±+2.5)× 109/L.The average percentage of eosinophils was 26.7 ％ ± 19.3 ％.Bronchoalveolar lavage revealed high levels of eosinophils,representing 15％ to 60％ of the total cell count(mean 38.5％± 21.3％).Bilateral alveolar infiltrates(8/10)and consolidation(2/10)on chest imaging were typical characteristic of CEP.Spontaneous remission occurred in one patient,nine patients received glucocorticoid therapy.Two cases relapsed during the follow-up,one case developed pulmonary interstitial fibrosis after eight months.Conclusions CEP is characterized by subacute or chronic respiratory and general symptoms,coexisting atopic diathesis,alveolar and/or blood eosinophilia is present in most cases.Peripheral pulmonary infilitrates with migratory character on chest imaging is feature of CEP. Key words: Chronic eosinophilic pneumonia ; Diagnosis ; Treatment