Limkul L, Tovichien P. Secondary organizing pneumonia after infection. World J Clin Cases 2024; 12(36): 6877-6882 [PMID: 39726927 DOI: 10.12998/wjcc.v12.i36.6877]
Corresponding Author of This Article
Prakarn Tovichien, MD, Associate Professor, Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine Siriraj Hospital, Mahidol University, 2 Wanglang Road, Bangkok Noi, Bangkok 10700, Thailand. prakarn.tov@mahidol.edu
Research Domain of This Article
Respiratory System
Article-Type of This Article
Editorial
Open-Access Policy of This Article
This article is an open-access article which was selected by an in-house editor and fully peer-reviewed by external reviewers. It is distributed in accordance with the Creative Commons Attribution Non Commercial (CC BY-NC 4.0) license, which permits others to distribute, remix, adapt, build upon this work non-commercially, and license their derivative works on different terms, provided the original work is properly cited and the use is non-commercial. See: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/
World J Clin Cases. Dec 26, 2024; 12(36): 6877-6882 Published online Dec 26, 2024. doi: 10.12998/wjcc.v12.i36.6877
Secondary organizing pneumonia after infection
Lertluksana Limkul, Prakarn Tovichien
Lertluksana Limkul, Prakarn Tovichien, Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine Siriraj Hospital, Mahidol University, Bangkok 10700, Thailand
Author contributions: Limkul L and Tovichien P designed the overall concept, outlined the manuscript, reviewed the literature, and wrote and edited the manuscript; all of the authors read and approved the final version of the manuscript to be published.
Conflict-of-interest statement: Lertluksana Limkul and Prakarn Tovichien have nothing to disclose.
Open-Access: This article is an open-access article that was selected by an in-house editor and fully peer-reviewed by external reviewers. It is distributed in accordance with the Creative Commons Attribution NonCommercial (CC BY-NC 4.0) license, which permits others to distribute, remix, adapt, build upon this work non-commercially, and license their derivative works on different terms, provided the original work is properly cited and the use is non-commercial. See: https://creativecommons.org/Licenses/by-nc/4.0/
Corresponding author: Prakarn Tovichien, MD, Associate Professor, Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine Siriraj Hospital, Mahidol University, 2 Wanglang Road, Bangkok Noi, Bangkok 10700, Thailand. prakarn.tov@mahidol.edu
Received: August 13, 2024 Revised: September 14, 2024 Accepted: September 25, 2024 Published online: December 26, 2024 Processing time: 78 Days and 15.8 Hours
Abstract
This editorial explores the clinical implications of organizing pneumonia (OP) secondary to pulmonary tuberculosis, as presented in a recent case report. OP is a rare condition characterized by inflammation in the alveoli, which spreads to alveolar ducts and terminal bronchioles, usually after lung injuries caused by infections or other factors. OP is classified into cryptogenic (idiopathic) and secondary forms, the latter arising after infections, connective tissue diseases, tumors, or treatments like drugs and radiotherapy. Secondary OP may be triggered by infections caused by bacteria, viruses, fungi, mycobacteria, or parasites. Key diagnostic features include subacute onset of nonspecific respiratory symptoms such as dry cough, chest pain, and exertional dyspnea. Imaging with computed tomography scans typically reveals three patterns: (1) Bilateral subpleural consolidation; (2) Nodular consolidation; and (3) A reticular pattern. Bronchoscopy with bronchoalveolar lavage helps exclude other causes. Standard treatment consists of corticosteroid therapy tapered over 6 months to 12 months. This editorial highlights clinical and diagnostic strategies to ensure timely and effective patient care.
Core Tip: Diagnostic features of organizing pneumonia typically include subacute onset of nonspecific respiratory symptoms such as dry cough, pleuritic chest pain, and exertional dyspnea. Imaging with computed tomography scans typically reveals three patterns: (1) Bilateral subpleural consolidation; (2) Nodular consolidation; and (3) A reticular pattern.
