Pneumonitis induced by rifampicin: a case report and literature review

Intern Med. 2013;52(4):473-7. doi: 10.2169/internalmedicine.52.8997. Epub 2013 Feb 15.

Abstract

An 84-year-old woman being treated for miliary tuberculosis (TB) with rifampicin (RFP), isoniazid (INH), ethambutol (EB) and corticosteroids suffered from a persistent fever for five months. While tapering the dose of prednisolone, chest computed tomography (CT) revealed diffuse ground glass opacities (GGO) and bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) showed an increase in lymphocytes. After the anti-TB drugs were discontinued and the dose of the corticosteroids was increased, the CT findings and fever improved considerably. However, readministration of RFP provoked an inflammatory reaction, leading to a diagnosis of RFP-induced pneumonitis. This condition is very rare. This is the first report of RFP-induced pneumonitis occurring during adjunct steroid therapy.

Publication types

  • Case Reports
  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Aged, 80 and over
  • Antibiotics, Antitubercular / adverse effects*
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Pneumonia / chemically induced*
  • Rifampin / adverse effects*

Substances

  • Antibiotics, Antitubercular
  • Rifampin