Chronic eosinophilic pneumonia (Carrington's) with increased serum IgE levels. A distinct subset?

Abstract

We report our second case of chronic eosinophilic pneumonia (CEP) (Carrington's pneumonia) with elevated serum IgE values and present a review of the literature on this subject. Our present patient, a 55-year-old woman, had classic symptoms of dry cough, weight loss, malaise, dyspnea, night sweats, and fevers. Significant peripheral blood eosinophilia and a right upper lobe infiltrate were present. Glucocorticoid therapy caused prompt resolution of symptoms, as well as disappearance of blood eosinophilia, elevated serum IgE levels, and pulmonary shadowing. The diagnosis of CEP should not be neglected in the classification of the eosinophilic pneumonias with increased serum IgE levels. The increased serum IgE levels, when present in CEP, seem nonspecific and thus may not be useful as a diagnostic adjunct. However, measurement of IgE may be helpful in CEP, as it has been in allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis, to guide the dosage and duration of corticosteroid therapy.

• Authors: E B Gonzalez, D Hayes, V W Weedn
• Journal: Archives of internal medicine (Arch Intern Med) Vol. 148 Issue 12 Pg. 2622-4 (Dec 1988) ISSN: 0003-9926 [Print] United States
• PMID: 3058073 (Publication Type: Case Reports, Journal Article, Review)

Chemical References

• Immunoglobulin G
• Prednisone

Topics

• Female
• Humans
• Immunoglobulin G (analysis)
• Middle Aged
• Prednisone (therapeutic use)
• Pulmonary Eosinophilia (diagnostic imaging, drug therapy, immunology)
• Radiography