Table: Unusual Interstitial Lung Diseases - Merck Manuals Consumer Version

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Unusual Interstitial Lung Diseases

Unusual Interstitial Lung Diseases

Disorder	Symptoms	Treatment	Comments
Drug-induced interstitial lung disease Drug-Induced Pulmonary Disease Drug-induced pulmonary disease is not a single disorder. Many drugs can cause lung problems in people who have no other lung disorders. The type of problem depends on the drug involved, but... read more	Slow-developing (over weeks to months) or sudden, severe symptoms Shortness of breath Cough	Stopping the drug that is causing symptoms Corticosteroids (sometimes effective)	Many classes of drugs may cause this disease. The disease is often more severe in older people. The effects of some drugs on the lungs are similar to those of systemic lupus erythematosus Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE) Systemic lupus erythematosus is a chronic autoimmune inflammatory connective tissue disorder that can involve joints, kidneys, skin, mucous membranes, and blood vessel walls. Problems in the... read more (lupus). The extent and severity of the disease are sometimes related to how large the drug dose was and how long the drug was taken.
Alveolar hemorrhage syndromes Diffuse Alveolar Hemorrhage Diffuse alveolar hemorrhage is a syndrome of recurrent or persistent bleeding into the lungs, caused most often by an autoimmune disorder. Common symptoms are difficulty breathing and coughing... read more (bleeding in the lungs)	Most commonly, coughing up blood (hemoptysis) Anemia due to chronic blood loss Kidney failure (sometimes)	Corticosteroids and cytotoxic drugs (such as cyclophosphamide ) Blood transfusions if needed because of blood loss Oxygen therapy for a low level of oxygen in the blood	In these rare disorders, blood leaks from small, thin-walled blood vessels (capillaries), often because of an autoimmune reaction. People may have Goodpasture syndrome Goodpasture Syndrome Goodpasture syndrome is an uncommon autoimmune disorder in which bleeding into the lungs and progressive kidney failure occur. People usually have difficulty breathing and may cough up blood... read more , granulomatosis with polyangiitis Granulomatosis with Polyangiitis Granulomatosis with polyangiitis often begins with inflammation of small- and medium-sized blood vessels and tissues in the nose, sinuses, throat, lungs, or kidneys. The cause is unknown. The... read more , systemic lupus erythematosus Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE) Systemic lupus erythematosus is a chronic autoimmune inflammatory connective tissue disorder that can involve joints, kidneys, skin, mucous membranes, and blood vessel walls. Problems in the... read more (lupus), idiopathic pulmonary hemosiderosis Idiopathic Pulmonary Hemosiderosis Idiopathic pulmonary hemosiderosis is a rare disorder that causes repeated episodes of bleeding into the lungs, leading to accumulation of iron (hemosiderosis) in the lungs. Idiopathic pulmonary... read more (iron in the lungs), or drug reactions. Massive bleeding can cause death.
Lymphangioleiomyomatosis Lymphangioleiomyomatosis Lymphangioleiomyomatosis (LAM) is a rare, slowly progressive growth of smooth muscle cells throughout the lungs. (See also Overview of Interstitial Lung Diseases.) Lymphangioleiomyomatosis ... read more	Difficulty breathing Cough Chest pain Sometimes coughing up blood	Lung transplantation Sirolimus	This rare disorder occurs in young women. It may worsen during pregnancy.