ObjectiveTo summarize the clinical manifestations, diagnosis and treatments of chronic eosinophilic pneumonia (CEP).MethodsThe clinical and pathological data of five patients with CEP diagnosed in this hospital between January 2011 and January 2015 were retrospectively analyzed.ResultsThere were five CEP cases including two males and three females, and one case with allergic rhinitis, two cases with bronchial asthma, two cases with allergic history, and one case with allergic skin rash. The main clinical manifestations were fever, cough, expectoration, shortness of breath and chest pain, and often accompanied by fatigue, anorexia and weight loss. The main signs included moist rales, scattered wheeze and crackles. There were significantly increased peripheral blood eosinophils count, the proportion of eosinophils, and the proportion of eosinophils in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid in all five cases. The main imaging features were airway infiltration, real change shadow and ground glass shadow. All of five cases were treated with glucocorticoid, and one of them relapsed during follow-up.ConclusionsThe onset of CEP is insidious. The clinical manifestations of CEP are lack of specificity, and often associate with asthma and allergic dermatitis. Eosinophils significantly increase in peripheral blood and bronchoalveolar lavage fluid in most of CEP patients. The typical image is peripheral and subpleural distribution of lung infiltrates.
ObjectiveTo investigate the clinical manifestations, diagnosis and treatments of allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis (ABPA). MethodsThe clinical data of four cases of ABPA diagnosed in our department between 2009 and 2014 were analyzed. The related literature was also reviewed. ResultsABPA tends to occur in people with chronic lung diseases, such as asthma and cystic fibrosis. The main clinical manifestations are wheezing, fever, cough, and sputum production. Laboratory examinations include immediate Aspergillus skin test reactivity, elevated total serum IgE and Aspergillus specific IgE and IgG antibodies, and peripheral blood eosinophilia. Radiological findings include recurrent chest roentgenographic infiltrates and central bronchiectasis. Treatments involve corticosteroids and antifungal therapy with itraconazole. ConclusionsABPA is easy to misdiagnosis clinically. It should be considered in patients with poor controlled asthma and asthmatic patients with acute pulmonary infiltrates. Early diagnosis and proper treatment can minimize lung injury from ABPA and improve outcomes.