A Case of Chronic Eosinophilic Pneumonia Associated With the Use of Weight Loss Combination Medication Naltrexone-Bupropion

Anastasia Schuldt; Asif Najmuddin; Munish Sharma; Salim Surani

doi:10.7759/cureus.50621

A Case of Chronic Eosinophilic Pneumonia Associated With the Use of Weight Loss Combination Medication Naltrexone-Bupropion

Cureus. 2023 Dec 16;15(12):e50621. doi: 10.7759/cureus.50621. eCollection 2023 Dec.

Authors

Anastasia Schuldt¹, Asif Najmuddin², Munish Sharma³, Salim Surani⁴

Affiliations

¹ Internal Medicine, University of Kentucky College of Medicine, Lexington, USA.
² Internal Medicine, The Medical Center at Bowling Green, Bowling Green, USA.
³ Pulmonary and Critical Care, Baylor Scott & White Medical Center - Temple, Temple, USA.
⁴ Medicine, Texas A&M University, College Station, USA.

Abstract

Chronic eosinophilic pneumonia (CEP) is not a commonly encountered pulmonary disease that presents with bilateral pulmonary infiltrates accompanied by peripheral and bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) eosinophilia. Recovery is rapid with systemic steroids but has frequent recurrences. We present a case with the classic presentation of CEP that appears to be related to a weight loss medication called naltrexone-bupropion. This case is unique in that this drug combination does not appear to have an established link to CEP, though literature reveals possible association with its individual components. Understanding the mechanism underlying this link may help to better understand CEP as a disease process.

Keywords: bupropion; eosinophil; eosinophilic pneumonia; naltrexone; pneumonia.

Publication types

Case Reports