title: Immunosuppressant-responsive idiopathic lymphocytic pleuritis.
abstract: Lymphocyte-dominant pleural inflammation is seen in tuberculous, malignant and immune-mediated pleural disease. We describe two male patients who presented with chest pain and dyspnoea, in whom radiological and histological investigations showed idiopathic lymphocytic pleuritis that responded to immunosuppressive therapy with corticosteroids and/or azathioprine. Corticosteroid-responsive pleuritis has been described in association with many conditions, but little is known of idiopathic lymphocytic pleuritis. The authors suggest that patients with idiopathic pleural thickening undergo early thoracoscopic pleural biopsy, and that immunosuppressant therapy be considered for patients with idiopathic lymphocytic pleuritis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Respiratory Medicine, St. Vincent's University Hospital, Dublin, Ireland. oconnotm@mcmaster.ca
authors.forename: Terence M
authors.initials: TM
authors.lastname: O'Connor
authors.forename: Waqar
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Haider
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Crotty
authors.forename: Timothy J
authors.initials: TJ
authors.lastname: McDonnell
authors.forename: Walter T
authors.initials: WT
authors.lastname: McNicholas
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D001379:Azathioprine / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001706:Biopsy / Q000379:methods; D001999:Bronchoscopy; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D017809:Fatal Outcome; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005938:Glucocorticoids / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D018655:Lymphocyte Count; D008214:Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010994:Pleura / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology*; D010998:Pleurisy / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000276:immunology; D011239:Prednisolone / Q000627:therapeutic use; D013902:Radiography, Thoracic; D013906:Thoracoscopy; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D005938:Glucocorticoids; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents; D011239:Prednisolone; D001379:Azathioprine