Pneumonia can be caused by germs or noninfectious foreign substances, resulting in infectious or aspiration pneumonia. Lipoid pneumonia is a slowly progressive disease caused by the inhalation of fatty substances not produced by the body. Treatment involves avoiding the substance and may include antibiotics, corticosteroids, and immunoglobulins.
Pneumonia, a disease in which the lungs become swampy and inflamed, can be caused by anything that shouldn’t be in the lungs, such as germs or lipids. The two basic types of pneumonia are infectious pneumonia and aspiration pneumonia. When germs such as bacteria, fungi and viruses are the causative agents, it is referred to as infectious pneumonia; when a noninfectious foreign substance is inhaled into the lungs, it is called aspiration pneumonia. Lipoid pneumonia is a type of aspiration pneumonia that gets its name from the word “lipid,” which simply means fat. It is a slowly progressive disease that can be treated effectively if diagnosed in its early stages.
Based on the causes, pneumonia can be classified as exogenous or endogenous. Exogenous lipoid pneumonia is caused by aspiration of a fatty substance not produced by the body. Examples of exogenous substances are petroleum jelly, mineral oil, animal oil or vegetable oil. These could be present in nose drops, mouth sprays, oral lubricants, laxatives, or traditional home remedies. The exogenous type occurs most commonly among the elderly who have defective airways and among children who are given oil-based drugs and foods.
The body produces endogenous fatty substances. For example, the body has white blood cells called macrophages that eat or “engulf” the body’s waste products, such as lipids or cholesterol. They are therefore called foamy macrophages. Foamy macrophages can accumulate in the lungs, leading to endogenous lipoid pneumonia. Conditions that can result in the endogenous type include Hodgkin’s disease, Gaucher’s disease, and lung cancer.
When a lung biopsy is taken, the affected area will appear pale yellow. This is similar to the actual appearance of solidified fat or oil, earning it the name “golden pneumonia.” The inflammatory cells and foamy macrophages could be seen through a microscope.
A person who has lipoid pneumonia may not have any physical ailments, and the condition may only be discovered incidentally through a chest X-ray or computed tomography (CT) scan. Like any other type of pneumonia, symptoms include low-grade fever, lung sounds called crackles, and gradual weight loss. Other symptoms include long-lasting cough, chest pain, and difficulty breathing or shortness of breath. The progress of this disease is slow and rarely causes emergencies. If left untreated, complications include cavitations or holes in the lungs; pleural effusion or accumulation of fluid in the lining of the lungs; and respiratory failure.
Treatment is done by completely avoiding the substance causing the condition. Your doctor might prescribe antibiotics if there is a coexisting bacterial infection. Corticosteroids and immunoglobulins are also used in the treatment of lipoid pneumonia, because they reduce inflammation.
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