Case Report
Thalidomide-induced Organizing Pneumonia
Abstract
Twenty medications are associated with drug-induced organizing pneumonia; however, thalidomide is not listed as a potential causative agent. Thalidomide (Thalomid, Celgene Corp., Summit, NJ), an angiogenesis inhibitor and immunomodulator that reduces tumor necrosis factor-alpha, is used for the treatment of multiple myeloma. We report a case of organizing pneumonia in a 58-year-old male with multiple myeloma treated with dexamethasone and thalidomide.
Key Points
* Thalidomide is increasingly used in the treatment of multiple myeloma.
* Known pulmonary toxicities of thalidomide include pneumonia and venous thromboembolism; evaluation for intersitial lung disease should be included in the assessment of patients with respiratory symptoms.
* Thalidomide should be added to the list of medications that can cause interstitial lung disease.
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