title: Pulmonary alveolar proteinosis: another autoimmune disease associated with sarcoidosis?
abstract: Pulmonary alveolar proteinosis (PAP) is a rare lung disease characterized by the accumulation of surfactant phospholipids and lipoproteins within the alveoli. Here we report on a female patient who was diagnosed with autoimmune PAP and successfully treated with whole lung lavage (WLL). 15 months after PAP diagnosis the patient developed marked fatigue. Additional tests revealed the diagnosis of sarcoidosis. We can only speculate that PAP and sarcoidosis in our patient are linked to each other based on the fact that other autoimmune disorders have also been associated with sarcoidosis.
authors.affiliation: Interstitial and Rare Lung Disease Unit, Ruhrlandklinik, University Hospital, University Duisburg-Essen. eda.boerner@ruhrlandklinik.uk-essen.de.
authors.forename: Eda Burcu
authors.initials: EB
authors.lastname: Boerner
authors.forename: Ulrich
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Costabel
authors.forename: Thomas Ernst
authors.initials: TE
authors.lastname: Wessendorf
authors.forename: Dirk
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Theegarten
authors.forename: Martin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hetzel
authors.forename: Marjolein
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Drent
authors.forename: Francesco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Bonella
mesh_terms: D001327:Autoimmune Diseases / Q000209:etiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D011649:Pulmonary Alveolar Proteinosis / Q000276:immunology*; D017565:Sarcoidosis, Pulmonary / Q000150:complications*
keywords: Pulmonary alveolar proteinosis (PAP), sarcoidosis, whole lung lavage