title: Rapid development of severe interstitial pneumonia caused by epoprostenol in a patient with primary pulmonary hypertension.
abstract: A young woman with primary pulmonary hypertension developed severe interstitial pneumonia (IP) 5 days after induction of epoprostenol infusion. Although the pathogen involved was not identified, her IP was initially responsive to steroids, and discontinuation of steroid therapy caused the redevelopment of IP. After intensive treatment, including steroid therapy and inhaled nitric oxide, epoprostenol was successfully switched to prostaglandin E(1) infusion and she recovered. Epoprostenol infusion can cause a rapid severe IP, even soon after the induction of therapy. Clinicians should keep this syndrome in mind, especially when treating a severe case of IP.
authors.affiliation: Departments of *Anesthesiology and Intensive Care and †Cardiology, Okayama University Medical School, Okayama, Japan.
authors.forename: Hiroshi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Morimatsu
authors.forename: Keiji
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Goto
authors.forename: Takashi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Matsusaki
authors.forename: Hiroshi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Katayama
authors.forename: Hiromi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Matsubara
authors.forename: Tohru
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Ohe
authors.forename: Kiyoshi
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Morita
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000527:Alprostadil / Q000627:therapeutic use; D011464:Epoprostenol / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006976:Hypertension, Pulmonary / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology; D017563:Lung Diseases, Interstitial / Q000209:etiology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D010102:Oxygen Inhalation Therapy; D010975:Platelet Aggregation Inhibitors / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed
chemical_list: D010975:Platelet Aggregation Inhibitors; D011464:Epoprostenol; D000527:Alprostadil