Lymphocytic interstitial pneumonia and non-caseating epithelioid granuloma in mediastinal lymph nodes in a patient with primary Sjögren’s syndrome

Abstract

A 63-year-old woman diagnosed with Sjögren’s syndrome (SS) was indicated as having interstitial pneumonia with enlarged mediastinal lymph nodes. Lung tissue specimens showed lymphocytic interstitial pneumonia (LIP) and non-caseating epithelioid granulomas were recognized in only the mediastinal lymph nodes. Monoclonality was not detected using polymerase chain reaction of IgH rearrangement. The pulmonary lesions including lymphadenopathy were remarkably reduced by admistration of prednisolone. In this case, the sarcoid-like granulomas may have been associated with LIP, rather than co-existence of SS with sarcoidosis.