Symptoms of desquamative interstitial pneumonia

Desquamative interstitial pneumonia is a type of pneumonia. It usually occurs in people aged 30 to 40. It can cause a variety of complications, such as lung infection and respiratory failure. It may even lead to death, so we need to understand the symptoms of desquamative interstitial pneumonia.

The symptoms of desquamative interstitial pneumonia are quite obvious and we can easily diagnose it. Once we learn that we have desquamative interstitial pneumonia, we should go to the hospital immediately and receive treatment based on the actual situation.

The cause of desquamative interstitial pneumonia is unknown. It is not clear whether it is a foreign body reaction, an autoimmune phenomenon, or a sequela of infection. Because rheumatoid factor, antinuclear antibodies and lupus erythematosus cells have been found, it was once considered to be a connective tissue disease. Some people also believe that it is related to alveolar proteinosis. Others have reported that it occurs secondary to respiratory virus and mycoplasma infections, or without any obvious triggering factors.

Symptoms of desquamative interstitial pneumonia:

The disease can be divided into primary and secondary. The primary type has a more acute onset, while the secondary type occurs after other diseases. The symptoms are quite similar to diffuse pulmonary fibrosis. The onset is usually insidious but can also be sudden. The main manifestations are accelerated breathing, progressive dyspnea, increased heart rate, cyanosis, dry cough, weight loss, weakness and loss of appetite. The fever usually does not exceed 38°C. In severe cases, heart failure occurs and the patient may die suddenly after feeding. Clubbing of fingers and toes can sometimes be seen during physical examination. Pulmonary signs are not obvious, sometimes fine moist rales can be heard in both lower lungs, chest X-ray shows ground-glass or reticular flake shadows in both lower lungs, which may have unclear edges, and angular shadows radiate from the hilum along the heart edge to the lung base and periphery. Sometimes desquamative interstitial pneumonia can be seen with emphysema, bullae, pneumothorax and pleural effusion, etc. Complications may lead to cor pulmonale in the long term, and the peripheral blood eosinophils can be seen to be increased.

X-rays show symmetrical ground-glass shadows in both lungs, which are most obvious at the lung bases. There are also angular shadows that extend from the hilum to the lung bases on both sides, sometimes complicated by spontaneous pneumothorax or pleural effusion.

The diseased lungs appear grayish yellow, solid and airless to the naked eye. The most notable features of microscopic examination are: a large number of desquamative granular cells in the alveolar cavity, varying in size from 7 to 8 μm in diameter; some cells are spindle-shaped, multinucleated, and may contain very few vacuoles and no charcoal. The cytoplasm contains a large number of PAS-positive anti-amylase granules, often with iron-free pigment granules. Electron microscopy examination shows that most of the desquamative cells are macrophages. Alveolar epithelial cells and desquamative cells show nuclear division, hyperplasia or hypertrophy of alveolar epithelial cells, and no hyaline membrane formation. There are varying amounts of interstitial fibrosis and reticulin fiber formation, sometimes showing the nature of myxoma. Interstitial muscle fibers and hyperplasia become stiff, and pulmonary lobular septa, alveolar septa, and pleura edema and fibrosis are common. Alveolar occlusion is uncommon. In severely affected lung areas, obliterative pulmonary endarteritis is common, with focal lymphocyte aggregations and germinal centers.

Above we introduced what desquamative interstitial pneumonia is. We know that desquamative interstitial pneumonia is a type of pneumonia. We can prevent desquamative interstitial pneumonia, but we don’t have to be afraid if we suffer from desquamative interstitial pneumonia, because the symptoms of desquamative interstitial pneumonia have been introduced above. Once desquamative interstitial pneumonia occurs, we will know to go to the hospital immediately for treatment without delaying treatment.