Pulmonary infiltrates with eosinophilia and urinary symptoms during disodium cromoglycate treatment. A case report

A 64-year-old asthmatic woman began to suffer from urinary irritation after 5 months' treatment with disodium cromoglycate. After 10 months she contracted, additionally, a dry, hacking cough and gradually increasing exercise-induced dyspnoea. Chest X-ray revealed scattered, micronodular infiltrations in both lungs, and her spirogram was clearly restrictive. Peripheral blood showed eosinophilia of 23.5%. Urine was clean. When DSCG was withdrawn, her urinary symptoms and cough disappeared overnight, and her dyspnoea improved within weeks, as did her chest X-ray. Inhalation provocation test with DSCG 2 months later resulted in an immediate asthmatic reaction followed by a possible delayed-type reaction 9 hours later. Disodium cromoglycate is regarded as the possible aetiologic agent.