Acute eosinophilic pneumonia triggered by secondhand cigarette smoke exposure in an elderly man

Abstract

The spectrum of eosinophilic lung diseases comprises a diverse group of pulmonary disorders associated with tissue or peripheral eosinophilia. [Acute eosinophilic pneumonia (AEP)] is an uncommon eosinophilic lung disease that can be idiopathic, but identifiable causes include medications, inhalational exposures and infections. Most cases in the literature are associated with first-time cigarette smoking or resuming smoking. Herein, we present a case of AEP in an elderly man triggered by exposure to secondhand tobacco smoke, in whom a transbronchial biopsy was diagnostic. The patient recovered fully with glucocorticoid therapy without recurrence after avoiding further secondhand smoke.

Vaping Is Not Safe: A Case of Acute Eosinophilic Pneumonia following Cannabis Vapor Inhalation

“…AEP is an uncommon cause of acute hypoxic respiratory failure and is associated with smoking cigarettes and/or cannabis [4,8,9]. In the present case, we report acute eosinophilic pneumonia in a patient following inhalation of aerosolized cannabis a few days prior to symptom onset.…”

“…History of atropy may not be relevant to developing AEP, but total IgE levels and peripheral eosinophilia may correlate with disease severity [18]. e patient's serum IgE levels were markedly elevated when he initially presented, as in another reported case, [8] pointing to a role of type 1 hypersensitivity in the etiology of AEP. e levels were still high on follow-up but were lower than initial levels.…”