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Hypersensitivity Pneumonitis

Han Q. Bui, MPH, MD Reviewed 04/2024
 


BASICS

DESCRIPTION

  • Hypersensitivity pneumonitis (HP) is also called extrinsic allergic alveolitis (EAA).

  • HP is a diffuse inflammatory disease of the lung parenchyma caused by an immunologic reaction to ...

DIAGNOSIS

  • Diagnosis criteria most widely used but not validated: (i) history and physical and pulmonary function tests (PFTs) indicating restriction or diffusion disease. DLco is the most frequently a...

TREATMENT

GENERAL MEASURES

  • Outpatient, except for acute pneumonitis cases and admission for workup (BAL, lung biopsy)

  • Every effort should be made to remove the patient completely from repeated exposure ...

ONGOING CARE

FOLLOW-UP RECOMMENDATIONS

Patient Monitoring

  • Initial follow-up should be weekly to monthly, depending on severity and course.

  • Follow treatments with serial CXR, PFTs, and circulating antibod...

REFERENCES

1
Spagnolo  P, Rossi  G, Cavazza  A, et al. Hypersensitivity pneumonitis: a comprehensive review. J Investig Allergol Clin Immunol.  2015;25(4):237–250. [View Ab...

CODES

ICD10

  • J67.9 Hypersensitivity pneumonitis due to unspecified organic dust

  • J67.0 Farmer’s lung

  • J67.2 Bird fancier’s lung

  • J67.8 Hypersensitivity pneumonitis due to other organic dusts

  • J67.5 Mushroom-wor...

CLINICAL PEARLS

  • Skin testing is not useful for the diagnosis of HP.

  • Diagnosis should be suspected in every patient with unexplained cough and dyspnea on exertion, functional impairment (restriction or ...

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