ABSTRACT
A 34-year-old woman developed polydipsia, polyuria, amenorrhea and loss of pubic hair in 2001, but did not seek medical advice. On September 7th, 2009, she was admitted to our hospital complaining of acute exacerbation of dyspnea on exertion. Chest computed tomography (CT) showed multiple cystic lesions, predominantly in bilateral lower lung fields. Non-segmental, diffuse ground-glass attenuated areas and thickened bronchovascular bundles were also seen in bilateral lung fields. Pathological findings of lung specimens from a surgical lung biopsy (right S6 and S8) 14 years previously showed infiltration of S100 protein-positive histiocytoid cells in the bronchiolar wall. As a result, pulmonary Langerhans cell histiocytosis (PLCH) was diagnosed. Moreover, panhypopituitarism due to LCH was identified on endocrine testing. Dyspnea on exertion, reduction of carbon-monoxide diffusing capacity (D(LCO)) and ground-glass attenuation areas on CT were improved by smoking cessation alone, and she was discharged. However, similar acute deterioration of PLCH recurred 4 months after first admission. Her dyspnea on exertion, reduction of D(LCO) and ground-glass attenuation areas on CT were improved again by 500 mg/day methylprednisolone pulse therapy for 3 days. This case was a unique combination of panhypopituitarism and the appearance and disappearance of ground-glass attenuation areas on CT, paralleling PLCH disease activity.
