Azacitidine-associated acute interstitial pneumonitis

Intern Med. 2014;53(11):1165-9. doi: 10.2169/internalmedicine.53.1971. Epub 2014 Jun 1.

Abstract

Azacitidine is the first-line therapeutic option for myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS). This report describes a case of MDS in a patient who developed fatal acute interstitial pneumonitis (AIP) after the first seven-day course of intravenous azacitidine (75 mg/m(2)/day) treatment. A review of previous and present studies of azacitidine-associated AIP suggests that azacitidine may cause life-threatening AIP during or after the first seven-day course of treatment, with pyrexia commonly preceding AIP. Although the non-hematologic adverse events associated with azacitidine are generally relatively mild, further accumulation of evidence may help to make an earlier diagnosis of azacitidine-associated AIP.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Aged
  • Antimetabolites, Antineoplastic / adverse effects*
  • Azacitidine / adverse effects*
  • Fatal Outcome
  • Humans
  • Lung / diagnostic imaging
  • Lung Diseases, Interstitial / chemically induced*
  • Lung Diseases, Interstitial / diagnostic imaging
  • Male
  • Myelodysplastic Syndromes / drug therapy
  • Radiography

Substances

  • Antimetabolites, Antineoplastic
  • Azacitidine