[Interstitial lymphoid pneumonia associated with common variable immunodeficiency]

The interstitial lymphoid pneumonia (LIP) is an uncommon disorder, described as non-neoplastic lung lymphoid tissue hyperplasia and classified as an interstitial lung disease. It has been described in association with HIV infection, autoimmune disorders, policlonal hypergammaglobulinemia and less frequently, with hypogammaglobulinemia. We report the case of a 66 year old female patient with a history of diabetes, Sjogren syndrome and hypertension. She was referred to our hospital due to a dry cough and dyspnea (FC II-III). The physical examination showed bilateral dry crackles and splenomegaly. Laboratory studies showed thrombocytopenia (50 000/ mm3) and hypogammaglobulinemia. A computed tomography thoracic scan showed interstitial bilateral basal lung infiltrates with small peribroncovascular nodules. A lung biopsy was made by thoracoscopy and reported LIP. Initial treatment consisted of oral methilprednisone, 40 mg daily, and once a month intravenous gammaglobulin 500 mg/kg, with good clinical and radiological response. A splenectomy was done due to persistent thrombocytopenia associated with hypersplenism, with good response of the platelets counts. No lymphoid clonal or other associated disease was detected.