Cryptogenic organizing pneumonia (formerly known as
bronchiolitis obliterans organizing pneumonia) is a clinicopathological entity with characteristical radiographic findings such as bilateral, asymmetrical, sometimes migrating, patchy infiltrates in chest radiograph and ground-glass opacities in computed tomography. The disease has been observed in the context of
gastrointestinal disorders, certain lung
infections, autoimmune-mediated diseases (such as
Wegener granulomatosis), inhalation of toxic fumes,
bone marrow transplantation and administration of drugs. The
benzofuran amiodarone, a commonly used antiarrythmic
drug for
atrial fibrillation, can exhibit several pulmonary adverse effects, amongst them
cryptogenic organizing pneumonia as a rarely diagnosed and published one. We report a case of
cryptogenic organizing pneumonia secondary to
amiodarone treatment, its
clinical course with significant improvement of clinical symptoms within a few days after discontinuation of
amiodarone treatment and administration of
corticosteroids. Also the infiltrations found in chest X-ray and computed tomography responded well and showed remarkable resolution tendency quickly. During 5 months of
corticoid therapy pulmonary abnormalities gradually resolved almost completely and remained equal during the 8 months follow-up after
corticoid termination.