Fatal methotrexate-induced pneumonitis in a psoriatic patient.
Pulmonary toxicity, as an adverse effect of methotrexate (MTX) therapy, is uncommon in psoriatics. This report concerns a patient with psoriatic arthritis who developed fatal pneumonitis with a histopathological pattern of the organizing stage of diffuse alveolar damage and who was receiving MTX at a dose of 15 mg weekly for 1 month. The patient died despite the immediate withdrawal of MTX, the administration of corticosteroids, and adequate supportive care. Since MTX pneumonitis is a potentially fatal complication, new pulmonary symptoms, even in patients on low-dose MTX treatment, should be appropriately investigated.
Mazokopakis
Elias
E
Division of General Internal Medicine, University General Hospital of Heraklion Crete, 71 110 Heraklion, Crete, Greece.
Katsogridakis
Konstantinos
K
Koutsopoulos
Anastasios
A
Voloudaki
Argyro
A
Froudarakis
Marios
M
Kritikos
Hercules
H
Vrentzos
George
G
D015535:Arthritis, Psoriatic / Q000188:drug therapy*; D017809:Fatal Outcome; D005493:Folic Acid Antagonists / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008727:Methotrexate / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008875:Middle Aged; D011014:Pneumonia / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000473:pathology
D005493:Folic Acid Antagonists; D008727:Methotrexate