A Case of Interstitial Pneumonitis in a Patient with Rheumatoid Arthritis Treated with Leflunomide.
10.4046/trd.2009.66.6.477
- Author:
Ah Young SHIN
1
;
Seung Soo KIM
;
Kyung Hee KIM
;
Il Nam JU
;
Hyeok Jae KO
Author Information
1. Division of Rheumatology, Department of Internal Medicine, Daejeon St. Mary's Hospital, The Catholic University of Korea, Daejeon, Korea. kohj8804@catholic.ac.kr
- Publication Type:Case Report
- Keywords:
Leflunomide;
Interstitial lung diseases;
Rheumatoid arthritis
- MeSH:
Adult;
Arthritis, Rheumatoid;
Cholestyramine Resin;
Cough;
Dyspnea;
Female;
Fever;
Humans;
Isoxazoles;
Korea;
Lung Diseases, Interstitial;
Methotrexate;
Physical Examination;
Respiratory Insufficiency;
Steroids
- From:Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
2009;66(6):477-481
- CountryRepublic of Korea
- Language:Korean
-
Abstract:
Leflunomide, a disease-modifying antirheumatic drug (DMARD) for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis has been available in Korea since 2003. Leflunomide-associated interstitial pneumonitis has been appearing recently. A 25-year-old woman with a 12-month history of seronegative rheumatoid arthritis (RA) presented with acute respiratory insufficiency. She developed fever, dyspnea, and non-productive cough. Her medication history included methotrexate (15 mg/week. commencing 1 year prior) and leflunomide (20 mg/day, no loading dose, commencing 4 months prior). She was diagnosed with leflunomide-associated interstitial pneumonitis based on history, physical examination, laboratory and radiologic findings. She recovered quickly after leflunomide was withdrawn and steroids and cholestyramine were initiated quickly. We report a case of leflunomide-associated interstitial pneumonitis treated successfully with intravenous high-dose steroid and cholestyramine.
