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Descripción del caso: Mujer de 79 años con antecedentes de hipertensión arterial, fibrilación auricular (FA) permanente anticoagulada (acenocumarol) e insuficiencia mitral. Barthel 90, Lowton-Brody: 2. Acude a urgencias por dolor costal (osteomuscular) de dos semanas de evolución, sin otros síntomas, siendo dada de alta y acudiendo nuevamente por epistaxis y disnea. Exploración y pruebas complementarias: destacar en la auscultación cardio-pulmonar: tonos arrítmicos con soplo sistólico en reborde esternal izquierdo, crepitantes hasta campos medios, con murmullo vesicular disminuido. Radiografía de tórax: masa hiliar derecha con engrosamiento pleural derecho, e infiltrado bilateral. Hemograma: hemoglobina 7.9 g/dl (previa 11.6 g/dl), leucocitos 11.57x10l. Bioquímica: PCR 72.90mg/l, urea 85 mg/l. Coagulación: INR indeterminado, actividad protrombina 4 aumenta el riesgo de sangrado. Se trata de un paciente pluripatológico, dependiente moderada, con mal cumplimiento tratamiento y de control de anticoagulación. Ante estos datos (anemización, ausencia de signos de infección o insuficiencia cardiaca), y los resultados de las pruebas, nos decantamos por la hemorragia alveolar como primera posibilidad diagnostica.

Hemorragia alveolar (HA) é uma manifestação clínica com alta taxa de mortalidade que deve ser investigada, reconhecida e estabilizada. Causas possíveis para a HA incluem infecções respiratórias ou sistêmicas, malformações arteriovenosas, estenose mitral, discrasias sangüíneas e doenças auto-imunes, como o lúpus eritematoso sistêmico (LES), a síndrome de Goodpasture e as vasculites sistêmicas primárias, principalmente aquelas associadas aos anticorpos anticitoplasma de neutrófilos (Anca), como a granulomatose de Wegener, síndrome de Churg-Strauss e a poliangeíte microscópica. Relatamos o caso de uma paciente jovem que apresentou quadro grave de HA necessitando ventilação mecânica assistida com pressão expiratória final positiva (Peep). Na ausência de evidências de infecção, discrasias sangüíneas ou malformações arteriovenosas, a paciente foi submetida à corticoterapia e à imunossupressão, com controle satisfatório da atividade da doença, que persiste após 24 meses de seguimento. Os dados clínicos, laboratoriais e histopatológicos permitiram estabelecer o diagnóstico de poliangeíte microscópica.Alveolar hemorrhage (AH) is a clinical manifestation with high mortality rate that must be promptly investigated, recognized and stabilized. Causes of AH include systemic and respiratory tract infections, arterio-venous malformations, blood dyscrasias and autoimmune diseases such as systemic lupus erithematosus, Goodpasture syndrome and primary systemic vasculitis, specially the antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibodies-associated vasculitis such as Wegener’s granulomatosis, Churg-Strauss syndrome and microscopic polyangiitis. We report the case of a young female patient who developed severe AH necessitating orotracheal intubation and mechanic assisted ventilation with positive end expiratory pressure. Since no evidence of infection, malformation or blood dyscrasia was found, immediate therapy with glucocorticoids and cytotoxic drugs was started and a satisfactory control of the disease activity was achieved and has persisted for 24 months of follow-up. The clinical, laboratorial and histological data allowed establishing the diagnosis of microscopic polyangiitis.

Pulmonary-renal syndrome has rarely been reported as the clinical presentation of vasculitis caused by the consumption of cocaine adulterated with levamisole. We report the case of a patient in whom we detected the clinical manifestations and indicate the difficulties that arose in relation to the diagnostic and therapeutic approach., (Copyright © 2018 Elsevier España, S.L.U. and Sociedad Española de Reumatología y Colegio Mexicano de Reumatología. All rights reserved.)

Systemic lupus erythematosus is the diffuse autoimmune connective tissue disease that most frequently involves pulmonary involvement, affecting 20% of 90% of the patients. The percentage varies depending on the defining criteria (symptoms, pulmonary tests or histopathological studies). At least once during the disease course, 50% of those affected have pleural and/or pulmonary manifestations, which are associated with higher morbidity and mortality. Pulmonary involvement has no correlation with lupus activity biomarkers, and it is necessary to rule out infectious processes in the initial approach. Bacterial infection is most frequently the cause of lung involvement in lupus and is one of the most important causes of death. Pulmonary involvement is considered to be primary when it is associated with disease activity, and secondary when other causes participate. Drugs have been reported to be associated with pulmonary damage, including interstitial disease. The incidence of malignant lung diseases is increased in systemic lupus erythematosus. Treatment depends on the type and severity of pulmonary involvement., (Copyright © 2018 Sociedad Española de Reumatología y Colegio Mexicano de Reumatología. Publicado por Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.)

Henoch-Schonlein purpura (HSP) is the most common vasculitis in children. Vasculitic processes can involve the lung. Although diffuse alveolar hemorrhage may be seen as one of the manifestation of HSP, it is not a frequent presentation. Here we reported the case of a 10-year-old girl with HSP nephritis who developed pulmonary hemorrhage. The patient was treated successfully with intravenous methylprednisolone. A review of the literature revealed that young age may be a good prognostic sign and that immunosuppressive drugs and supportive management are essential in the treatment., (Sociedad Argentina de Pediatría.)

Background: Pulmonary hemorrhage (PH) occurs in 2-5% of SLE patients, and is associated with a high mortality rate (79-90%). Diagnostic criteria for this complication include: 1) Pulmonary infiltrates, with at least ¾ of lung tissue involved in a chest x ray, 2) Acute respiratory failure, 3) A decrease of 3g/dL or more in hemoglobin levels. PH might lead to organized pneumonia, collagen deposition, and pulmonary fibrosis which in time might cause changes in pulmonary function tests with either restrictive or obstructive patterns., Aim: To evaluate the existence of abnormalities in pulmonary function tests after a PH episode., Methods: We included patients with SLE and primary vasculitis that developed PH. During the acute episode, we measured SLEDAI in SLE patients, five factor score in microscopic polyangiitis (MPA) and Birmingham Vasculitis Activity Store (BVAS) in granulomatosis with polyangiitis (GPA) (Wegener). We determined the number of PH events, treatment, and ventilator assistance requirements and correlated its association with abnormal pulmonary function tests., Results: We included 10 patients, 7 with SLE, 2 with MPA and 1 with GPA (Wegener). The mean activity measures were: SLEDAI 20.4 ± 7.5, FFS 2, and BVAS 36. Treatment consisted in methylprednisolone (MPD) in 3 patients, MPD plus cyclophosphamide (CY) in 6 patients, and MPD, CY, IV immunoglobulin, and plasmapheresis in one patient. Five patients required ventilatory support. We found abnormalities in pulmonary function tests in 8 patients, three had an obstructive pattern and five a restrictive pattern; 2 patients did not show any change. We did not find a significant association with any of the studied variables., Conclusion: PH might cause abnormalities in pulmonary function tests and prolonged immunosuppressive treatment could be required., (Copyright © 2012 Elsevier España, S.L. All rights reserved.)