CASE STUDIES - Methotrexate pneumonitis

[Guest guest]

I want to thank everyone for all the help and imgormation it is very

helpful. I am going w/ him next time he goes to the dr. He has his blood tested

a

lot. He needs to loose weight He has quite a pot belly and I worry about him

since both his parrents died of heart problems. Now w/ the RA. Neither one of

his

dr. tell him how important it is to eat right. Does loosing weight help the

RA at all?? Do certain vitamins help. He is takeing folic acid.

Thanks so much~~~~Diane

[Guest guest]

I want to thank everyone for all the help and imgormation it is very

helpful. I am going w/ him next time he goes to the dr. He has his blood tested

a

lot. He needs to loose weight He has quite a pot belly and I worry about him

since both his parrents died of heart problems. Now w/ the RA. Neither one of

his

dr. tell him how important it is to eat right. Does loosing weight help the

RA at all?? Do certain vitamins help. He is takeing folic acid.

Thanks so much~~~~Diane

[Guest guest]

ABSTRACT:

Pneumonitis is a serious and unpredictable side-effect of treatment with

methotrexate (MTX) that may become life-threatening. The clinical and

histological features of nine cases of MTX pneumonitis are reported and the

literature reviewed.

The typical clinical symptoms include progressive shortness of breath and

cough, often associated with fever. Hypoxaemia and tachypnoea are always

present and crackles are frequently audible. Chest radiography reveals a

diffuse interstitial or mixed interstitial and alveolar infiltrate, with a

predilection for the lower lung fields.

Pulmonary function tests show a restrictive pattern with diminished

diffusion capacity. Lung biopsy reveals cellular interstitial infiltrates,

granulomas or a diffuse alveolar damage pattern accompanied by perivascular

inflammation. These clinical and pathological findings are not specific to

MTX pneumonitis and can be seen with other drug-induced lung toxicities.

It is important that all patients receiving methotrexate be educated

concerning this potential adverse reaction and instructed to contact their

physicians should significant new pulmonary symptoms develop while

undergoing therapy.

If methotrexate pneumonitis is suspected, methotrexate should be

discontinued, supportive measures instituted and careful examination for

different causes of respiratory distress conducted.

Eur Respir J 2000; 15: 373±381.

For the entire article, please see:

http://erj.ersjournals.com/cgi/reprint/15/2/373.pdf

I'll tell you where to go!

Mayo Clinic in Rochester

http://www.mayoclinic.org/rochester

s Hopkins Medicine

http://www.hopkinsmedicine.org