Eosinophihc pneumonia

Sho-saiko-to is a so-called kampo medicine, a mixture of herbs, including Chinese date, ginger root, and licorice root. It is reportedly contraindicated in patients taking interferons, patients with liver cirrhosis or hepatoma, and patients with chronic hepatitis and a platelet count of 100 X 10 /1 (http //www.kamponews.com). Sho-saiko-to has repeatedly been imphcated in interstitial or eosinophihc pneumonias. 

Eosinophihc pneumonia complicated by bronchial asthma has been attributed to levofloxacin (15). 

Fujimori K, Shimatsu Y, Suzuki E, Arakawa M, Gejyo F. [Levofloxacin-induced eosinophihc pneumonia comphcated by bronchial asthma.] Nihon Kokyuki Gakkai Zasshi 2000 38(5) 385-90. 

Miller BA, Gray A, Leblanc TW, Sexton DJ, Martin AR, Slama TG. Acute eosinophihc pneumonia secondary to daptomycin a report of three cases. Clin Infect Dis 2010 50(11) e63-8. 

Chronic eosinophihc pneumonia similar to ICEP has been described in women after up to 10 months after radiation therapy for breast cancer (41) [a syndrome comparable to the organizing pneumonia syndrome primed by radiation therapy to the breast (42)]. All patients had a history of asthma, allergy, or both, and it is hypothesized that eosinophihc pneumonia may develop preferentially in patients with preexisting T-helper type-2-oriented lymphocyte response (43,44), together with yet unidentified genetic predisposition, environmental factors, and/or additional triggers. 

Absence of determined cause of acute eosinophihc pneumonia (including infection or exposure to drags known to induce pulmonary eosinophilia). Recent onset of tobacco smoking or exposure to inhaled dusts may be present... 

Durieu J, WaUaert B, Toimel AB. Long term follow-up of pulmonary function in chronic eosinophihc pneumonia. Eur Respir J 1997 10 286 91. 

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