Organizing Pneumonia: A Rare Extra Intestinal Manifestation of Ulcerative Colitis

Abstract

Respiratory involvement of ulcerative colitis is exceptional. The prevalence is estimated to 0.2%. It may develop during the course of the disease particularly after colectomy, but can also occur without any correlation with the activity of the inflammatory bowel disease and can affect numerous organs most notably lungs. Chronic bronchitis and bronchiectasis are the main respiratory manifestations. Lung disease involving pleural and parenchymal damage is relatively uncommon among patients with inflammatory bowel disease. We report the case of an organizing pneumonia associated to a pleural effusion as an extra intestinal manifestation of ulcerative colitis in a 28-year-old man with a longstanding quiescent history of an ulcerative colitis. He was successfully treated with steroids without relapse during the follow-up period.