1997 Volume 19 Issue 3 Pages 237-240
A 47-year-old man was admitted to our hospital with fever and dyspnea. One month prior to admission, he was given minocycline for a cold by his home doctor. Three weeks later, he was again given minocycline for recurrent fever. However, his symptoms became exacerbated, and dyspnea developed. Chest X-ray film and CT revealed bilateral infiltrate shadow. Bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) and transbronchial lung biopsy were performed. The BAL fluid contained 53.4% lymphocytes, 25.8% eosinophile, and 19.8% macrophages. The concentration of eosinophil cationic protein in BAL fluid was higher (105μg/dl) than in the blood (18.8μg/dl). Values of ECP/albumin were 690.8μg/g in the BAL and 0.59μg/g in the blood. Pathological findings of the lung were compatible with acute eosinophilic pneumonia. Lymphocyte stimulation tests for minocycline were negative in both BAL and peripheral lymphocyte. However, symptoms improved on cessation of minocycline. We concluded that acute eosinophilic pneumonia is can be induced by hypersensitivity reaction to minocycline, and that eosinophil granule proteins play an important role in the pathogenesis of acute eosinophilic pneumonia.
