Objective: To improve the diagnosis and treatment of eosinophilic lung disease.
Methods: Patients who were diagnosed with eosinophilic lung disease and hospitalized in the First Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University Hospital were retrospectively analyzed from January 2004 to August 2012. Data of etiology, clinical manifestation, imaging and pathological features, diagnosis and treatment were recorded.
Results: A total of 25 patients were diagnosed with eosinophilic lung disease including 9 chronic eosinophilic pneumonia, 6 churg-strauss syndrome, and 10 cases of parasitic infection of which two patients were the simple pulmonary eosinophilia (Löffler syndrome). Eosinophil counts in peripheral blood and bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) were increased. Arterial gas analysis showed varying degree of hypoxemia, which pulmonary function tests showed restrictive, obstructive, mixed ventilatory dysfunction. Chest CT showed bilateral flaky, streak or flake diffuse ground-glass infiltrates and reticular opacities. Results of pulmonary biopsy or skin biopsy identified diffuse eosinophil infiltration. Corticoidsteroid therapy alone or combined with immunosuppressive agents were both effective.
Conclusion: (1) Liver fluke and other food-borne parasites are the most common causes in eosinophilic lung disease; followed by unexplained chronic acidophilic granulocyte pneumonia; (2) In addition to histopathological evidence, the diagnosis of eosinophilic lung disease was made comprehensively based on clinical features, laboratory test, the BALF analysis, and imaging data.