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[Fatal pulmonary fibrosis caused by gold therapy?]
Zeitschrift Fur Rheumatologie
|March 1, 1984
Summary
A patient with rheumatoid arthritis developed fatal pulmonary fibrosis during gold therapy. This case may represent the first reported lethal outcome of gold-induced lung disease, differing from typical reversible cases.
Area of Science:
- Pulmonology
- Rheumatology
- Toxicology
Background:
- Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic autoimmune disease.
- Chrysotherapy, using gold salts, was a treatment for RA.
- Gold-induced lung disease is a known but typically reversible complication.
Observation:
- A 33-year-old female RA patient developed severe pulmonary fibrosis after 3.5 months of gold therapy.
- The fibrosis progressed, leading to respiratory failure and death.
- Histopathology showed honeycomb lung with connective tissue proliferation and inflammation.
Findings:
- The clinical presentation suggests a possible case of gold-induced pulmonary fibrosis.
- This case is notable as it resulted in a fatal outcome, unlike most reported instances.
- Data from 39 other cases of gold-induced pulmonary fibrosis are reviewed.
Implications:
- This case highlights a potential rare, fatal manifestation of gold-induced lung disease.
- It underscores the importance of monitoring for pulmonary complications during chrysotherapy.
- Further research may be needed to understand risk factors for severe gold-induced lung disease.