Natural course of bleomycin-induced pneumonitis. A follow-up study.

In this study, long-term pulmonary complications of bleomycin were evaluated in 8 patients with bleomycin-induced pneumonitis (BIP). The lung function parameters: VC, alveolar volume, transfer factor for carbon monoxide of the lungs, diffusing capacity of the alveolocapillary membrane, and pulmonary capillary blood volume were studied in all patients for as long as 2 yr after the development of BIP. Perfusion scans with 133Xe and 99mTc were performed in these patients 2 yr after BIP developed. We concluded that if a patient survives the acute event of BIP, the pulmonary symptoms and the changes in these lung function parameters are completely reversible.