Severe acute fibrinous and organizing pneumonia (AFOP) causing ventilatory failure: successful treatment with mycophenolate mofetil and corticosteroids.

Abstract

Acute fibrinous and organizing pneumonia (AFOP) has recently been identified as an unusual variant of acute lung injury. We describe a man with rapidly progressive lung disease who had AFOP detected via surgical lung biopsy. The patient acutely decompensated while in the hospital and required mechanical ventilation as well as a prolonged ICU stay. He responded poorly to initial treatment and progressively worsened, but he subsequently responded very well to combined therapy with mycophenolate mofetil and methylprednisolone. The combination of corticosteroids and mycophenolate may provide a safe and effective treatment strategy for severe forms of this newly defined pulmonary syndrome.

• Authors: Sabha Bhatti, Abdul Hakeem, Jose Torrealba, Joseph P McMahon, Keith C Meyer
• Journal: Respiratory medicine (Respir Med) Vol. 103 Issue 11 Pg. 1764-7 (Nov 2009) ISSN: 1532-3064 [Electronic] England
• PMID: 19666216 (Publication Type: Case Reports, Journal Article)

Chemical References

• Adrenal Cortex Hormones
• Mycophenolic Acid
• Methylprednisolone

Topics

• Adrenal Cortex Hormones (therapeutic use)
• Cryptogenic Organizing Pneumonia (diagnosis, drug therapy)
• Humans
• Male
• Methylprednisolone (therapeutic use)
• Middle Aged
• Mycophenolic Acid (analogs & derivatives, therapeutic use)
• Pulmonary Fibrosis (diagnosis, drug therapy)
• Treatment Outcome