[Idiopathic chronic eosinophilic pneumonia--a clinical case report]

The eosinophilic pneumonias are a heterogeneous group of pulmonary disorders, which may compromise only the air ways, the pulmonary parenchyma, or both, characterised by alveolar eosinophils and infiltration of pulmonary tissue, with or without peripheral blood eosinophilia. Idiopathic Chronic Eosinophilic Pneumonia (ICEP), detailed description was by Carrington in 1969, is a rare eosinophilic lung disease, of unknown aetiology, characterised by peripheral blood eosinophilia, chest radiograph infiltrates and prompt response to corticosteroid therapy. ICEP most commonly affects women of middle age and usual symptoms are cough, dyspnea, fever and weight loss. The authors present a case of ICEP in a young woman, 21 years old, non-smoker and previously healthy.