Objective To investigate the clinical features of hypersensitivity pneumonitis and misdiagnosis causes. Methods The morbidity, misdiagnosis, progression, treatment, recovery, relapse and experience of treatment of a case with hypersensitivity pneumonitis was retrospectively analyzed. Results Patients with hypersensitivity pneumonitis usually have a contact history of organic dust, and clinical manifestations are nonspecific. Chest radiography shows wandering pattern of multiple reticular or patchy infiltration shadows. Lung function tests showrestricted ventilation and impaired diffusion. Blood eosinophil is usually normal. Lymphocyte and sedimentation antibody in serum and bronchoalveolar lavage fluid may still be normal. Pathohistology is complicated, with a progression from acute inflammation to chronic fibrosis. Systemic steroid should be prescribed as soon as possible. Antigen avoidance should be emphasized. Conclusions Clinical symptoms of hypersensitivity pneumonitis is atypical, which may be easily misdiagnosed. The contact history, clinical features, chest radiography, laboratory examination and pathological changes should all be considered in such cases.
ObjectiveTo improve clinicians' knowledge of hypersensitivity pneumonitis (HP). MethodsWe retrospectively analyzed the clinical data of 24 HP patients who were diagnosed in the Affiliated Drum Tower Hospital of Nanjing University Medical School during February 2005 to February 2013. The clinical,radiological and pathological features of those patients were summarized. ResultsAmong those 24 patients,15 were male and 9 were female,with mean age of (48±13) years. All patients had a history of environmental exposure. Two patients showed acute clinical manifestations,and there were 17 subacute and 5 chronic cases. The main clinical manifestations were dyspnea,cough,sputum,fever and weight loss with hypoxemia via blood gas analysis. Restrictive ventilatory impairment was the most frequent functional pattern,and the carbon monoxide diffusing capacity was decreased. Pulmonary function test showed restrictive ventilatory defect and gas interchange disturbance. The features of chest HRCT included diffuse ground-glass attenuation and/or patchy consolidation,centrilobular micronodules,mosaic sign,reticular and/or honeycombing lesions. Bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) demonstrated an increase of total cell counts with predominant lymphocytosis. The transbronchoscopic lung biopsy (TBLB) pathological examination revealed lymphocytic alveolitis,noncaseating granuloma,and interstial pneumonia. All patients were treated by corticosteroid and avoided antigen exposure and showed significant clinical and radiological improvement. ConclusionThe diagnosis of HP is difficult. In most cases (acute and subacute HP),a diagnosis can be made by combination history of exposure,chest HRCT manifestations,cell classification of BALF and pathological examination of TBLB. For atypical cases (chronic HP),a surgery lung biopsy is needed for multi-disciplinary diagnosis including pathologist,radiologist and pulmonologists.
ObjectiveTo strengthen the understanding to hypersensitivity pneumonitis and make early diagnosis and standard treatment by analyzing the clinical features, the diagnosis and treatment of a patient diagnosed as hypersensitivity pneumonitis presenting as progressive fibrotic interstitial lung disease in combination with literature review.MethodsThe diagnosis and treatment process and relevant clinical data of the patient were analyzed retrospectively and literatures were reviewed. Based on 282 relevant literatures, the diagnostic methods, treatment and prognostic factors of hypersensitivity pneumonitis were summarized.ResultsThe patient, female, 45 years old, self-employed, was admitted to the hospital due to "cough, sputum for 9 years, dyspnea for more than 6 months" without obvious extrapulmonary clinical manifestations. Creaks at the bottom of the lungs and clubbed toes were found through physical examination. High-resolution computed tomography indicated that the main manifestations were ground glass and grid-like shadows, presenting characteristics of interstitial pneumonia. The pulmonary lesions aggravated gradually, and part of the lung lobe presented honeycomb lung at the time of diagnosis. Eight years ago, she performed fibrobronchoscopy in other hospital revealing an increased lymphocyte proportion (39%) in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid. Lung function suggested very severe restrictive ventilation dysfunction. She was given prednisone for a short time, and the drug was stopped by herself with uncertain efficacy. Later, she performed frozen lung biopsy suggesting peribronchiolar metaplasia interstitial broadening with lymphocytic infiltration, without granuloma or fibroblast lesions. No obvious abnormity was seen in makers of infections and immunology. At this point, the patient was clearly diagnosed as hypersensitivity pneumonitis. Meanwhile, the patient's pulmonary lesions were still mainly made of ground glass and plaques, partly with changes like honeycomb. Poor response was obtained with anti-inflammatory treatment of prednisone for 3 months and anti-fibrosis treatment of pirfenidon for more than 2 months. Literature review resulted in 87 patients, including 39 males (44.82%) and 48 females (55.18%), with an average age of (47.0±18.4) years. Seventy patients (80.46%) had clear allergens. 3.45% patients' lymphocyte percentage in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid ranged from 20% to 39%, and 19.54% patients' lymphocyte percentage was more than 40%. 4.60% of the patients achieved remission through detachment from allergens; 71.27% of the patients achieved remission with glucocorticoid treatment, 14.94% improved with glucocorticoid treatment, and 1.15% died; 6.89% of the patients achieved remission after receiving anti-allergy therapy. Patients with chronic hypersensitivity pneumonia were found with poor prognosis.ConclusionsIn patients with diffuse interstitial pulmonary fibrosis with unknown cause, transbronchoscope freezing lung biopsy as early as possible is a feasible method for early diagnosis and improving prognosis. Patients with hypersensitivity pneumonitis with a long course of pulmonary fibrosis have a poor response to glucocorticoid and other classic treatments, and most of them have a poor prognosis.