The clinical courses of 11 cases of
eosinophilic pneumonia which were clinico-pathohistologically diagnosed and found to be unassociated with organic disorders producing peripheral blood
eosinophilia were extensively investigated and compared with various types of
eosinophilic pneumonia previously reported. Five cases of acute
eosinophilic pneumonia fulfilled the following criteria: 1) less than a one-month history of symptoms prior to diagnosis, 2) a short
clinical course and 3) no recurrence. Six cases of chronic
eosinophilic pneumonia fulfilled the following criteria: 1) more than a two-month history of symptoms prior to diagnosis, 2) a prolonged
clinical course and 3) recurrence. The results suggested that various types of previously reported
eosinophilic pneumonia classified by sex, the presence or absence of peripheral blood
eosinophilia, the degree of clinical symptoms or peripheral blood
eosinophilia, and the degree of abnormalities on chest
X-ray films should be extensively reevaluated.