chronic eosinophilic pneumonia has more progressive onset and systemic symptoms
- related: acute and chronic eosinophilic pneumonia AEP and CEP
- tags: #permanent
- nonsmokers, over 50% with hx of asthma
CEP presents with insidious onset of fever, cough, progressive dyspnea, wheezing, weight loss (often marked), and night sweats. Unlike in AEP patients, hypoxemic respiratory failure is rare. Chest radiograph shows bilateral peripheral or pleural-based opacities ("photographic negative" of pulmonary edema) sparing the perihilar and central lung regions, which is virtually pathognomonic for CEP. Laboratory studies show peripheral eosinophilia > 6%, elevated erythrocyte sedimentation rate and C-reactive protein levels, and thrombocytosis.1