King G G, Barnes D J, Hayes M J
Department of Respiratory Medicine, Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, Camperdown, NSW.
Med J Aust. 1994 Feb 7;160(3):126-7.
To present a case of a rare pulmonary reaction to carbamazepine.
One month after starting carbamazepine therapy, a previously well 38-year-old man developed pulmonary interstitial pneumonitis associated with debilitating systemic symptoms, the cause of which was not diagnosed for a further three months. Transbronchial lung biopsy showed granulomatous inflammation consistent with an allergic drug reaction.
The patient's clinical status, chest x-ray appearance and arterial blood gas tensions all normalised after withdrawal of the drug without any specific therapy.
Pneumonitis is a rare adverse reaction to carbamazepine therapy. However, awareness may reduce delays in both diagnosis and withdrawal of the drug.
