Case report reveals the importance of identifying chronic eosinophilic pneumonia, highlighting effective corticosteroid treatment.
Chronic eosinophilic pneumonia (CEP), also known as Carrington's disease, is a rare idiopathic eosinophilic lung disorder characterized by eosinophilic infiltration of the pulmonary parenchyma and alveolar spaces. It typically presents with subacute respiratory and constitutional symptoms, including cough, dyspnea, fever, and weight loss, and can mimic infectious pneumonia or pulmonary tuberculosis, making diagnosis challenging. We report the case of a 40-year-old woman who presented with a 40-day history of progressively worsening dyspnea, persistent cough, subjective fever, and deterioration of her general condition. Chest imaging revealed bilateral alveolar-interstitial infiltrates, while investigations for tuberculosis were negative. Further diagnostic evaluation established the diagnosis of CEP. The patient was treated with systemic corticosteroids, resulting in rapid clinical and radiological improvement and a favorable outcome on follow-up. This case highlights the importance of considering CEP in the differential diagnosis of diffuse pulmonary infiltrates and emphasizes the remarkable responsiveness of the disease to corticosteroid therapy.
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Rachid et al. (2026) studied this question.
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