Clinicopathologic manifestation of amiodarone-induced lung injury / 中华病理学杂志

ABSTRACT

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To study the clinical, pathologic and radiologic features of amiodarone-induced lung injury.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>The clinical, pathologic and radiologic features, including treatment and follow-up information of three cases diagnosed as amiodarone-induced lung injury from October 2004 to October 2005 in the Peking Union Medical College Hospital were reviewed.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>All the patients were males, with age ranging from 35 to 64 years. The duration of symptoms varied from 20 days to 3 years. All presented with cough. Worsening dyspnea and inspiratory crackles were noted in two patients. Computerized tomography showed bilateral patchy infiltration, ground-glass appearance and accentuation of bronchovascular markings. The most common pathologic manifestations included cellular interstitial pneumonia associated with intra-alveolar collections of macrophages and type II pneumocyte hyperplasia. Some of the macrophages contained finely vacuolated cytoplasm. An organizing pneumonia pattern was seen in one patient.</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>Amiodarone-induced lung injury has characteristic pathologic features which may provide clues to diagnosis. Correlation with clinical and radiologic findings is also important.</p>