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Surfactant Depletion Combined with Injurious Ventilation Results in a Reproducible Model of the Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS)
Published on: April 7, 2021
Amoxapine-associated acute respiratory distress
Masaru Ando1, Eishi Miyazaki, Ryu-Ichi Takenaka
1Division of Pulmonary Disease, Department of Brain and Nerve Science, Oita University Faculty of Medicine, Oita, Japan. mando@med.oita-u.ac.jp
Respirology (Carlton, Vic.)
|January 17, 2008
Summary
A patient experienced acute respiratory distress, fever, and lung abnormalities after starting amoxapine. Symptoms resolved upon discontinuation and recurred with re-exposure, suggesting amoxapine-induced lung injury.
Area of Science:
- Pulmonology
- Clinical Pharmacology
- Toxicology
Background:
- Amoxapine is a tricyclic antidepressant used for treating depression.
- Drug-induced lung disease is a rare but serious adverse effect of various medications.
Observation:
- A 37-year-old woman presented with acute respiratory distress, high fever, and severe hypoxemia.
- Chest CT revealed pulmonary infiltrates, including ground-glass opacities, septal thickening, and pleural effusions.
- Bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) showed neutrophilic, lymphocytic, and erythrocytic predominance.
Findings:
- Symptoms and pulmonary infiltrates developed 10 days after initiating amoxapine therapy.
- Discontinuation of amoxapine led to complete resolution of respiratory symptoms and radiographic findings.
- Re-exposure to amoxapine precipitated a recurrence of fever, hypoxemia, and pulmonary infiltrates.
Implications:
- This case suggests a potential association between amoxapine and acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS).
- Clinicians should consider amoxapine as a potential cause of drug-induced lung injury in patients presenting with unexplained respiratory symptoms.
- Further investigation into the mechanisms of amoxapine-induced pulmonary toxicity is warranted.
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