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Pulmonary eosinophilia is a condition where the lungs become inflamed due to an increased amount of eosinophils, often caused by allergies. It can be extrinsic or intrinsic, with symptoms including wheezing, coughing, and chest pains. Diagnosis involves exams and lab tests, and treatment depends on the cause.
Pulmonary eosinophilia is a medical condition in which the patient experiences lung inflammation, often due to an increased amount of a specific type of white blood cell called eosinophils. It can be described as extrinsic or intrinsic, depending on the cause of the increased eosinophil count. Sometimes, a case of simple pulmonary eosinophilia shows no serious symptoms and may even subside on its own without treatment or medication.
Increased eosinophil levels often indicate that the body is fighting a foreign substance that has produced an adverse reaction, such as in allergies. The eosinophils will then travel directly to the site of infection and get rid of the foreign substances by producing toxins. In pulmonary eosinophilia, on the other hand, the quantity of eosinophils and, consequently, of their toxins, is such that it does more harm than good to the lungs, which become inflamed. Eosinophilia is often associated with asthma and allergic rhinitis.
An extrinsic pulmonary eosinophilia is caused by external factors, one of which is the drug to which the patient is unknowingly allergic, such as antibiotics or pain relievers. Fungi and airborne parasites, such as roundworms or hookworms, are also common causes. In cases of intrinsic pulmonary eosinophilia, the primary cause is often unknown, but the condition usually occurs with or as a result of other diseases or disorders, such as breast cancer, lymphoma, or rheumatoid arthritis.
Some common symptoms of pulmonary eosinophilia are wheezing or shortness of breath, dry cough, and chest pains, largely due to inflamed lungs narrowing the airways and making it difficult for the person to breathe. Increased respiratory rate and fatigue may also occur. If the condition is specifically triggered by an allergic reaction to a drug, a rash may appear. In advanced cases, the condition can also cause heart failure, the inability of the heart to pump and deliver enough blood because the organ is constricted.
There are many symptoms of pulmonary eosinophilia that are similar across many respiratory and lung conditions, so your doctor may order several exams and laboratory tests to accurately diagnose the condition. One indication that the patient does indeed have eosinophilia is the presence of a crackling sound called a “gasp” when the doctor listens to the chest through a stethoscope. A complete blood count will also reveal if there is an increase in eosinophils, and an X-ray will show if the lungs are inflamed.
Of the two types, the extrinsic type is usually easier to treat since the cause is more likely to be detected correctly and treatments such as antibiotics and antifungal drugs can be given. In the intrinsic type of eosinophilia, treatment of the primary disease that caused the lung condition is usually the option. However, the patient may be given supplemental oxygen to help with breathing.
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