[Pneumonia in cyclosporin A-treated chronic polyarthritis (a case report)]

A 71 year old patient with seropositive rheumatoid arthritis developed rapidly progressive pneumonitis with bilateral pulmonary infiltrations and severe hypoxemia. At this time the patient was treated with cyclosporin A, indomethacin, chlorthalidone, amitriptyline and chlordiazepoxide. After these medicaments were discontinued and prednisone therapy was initiated a rapid remission of the pneumopathy was observed. It is probable that the reversible pneumopathy was induced by the treatment with cyclosporin A. Among the other medicaments which were stopped at the same time as cyclosporin A no comparable side effects are known.