Acute Eosinophilic Pneumonia
ICD-10 J82 · ICD-11 CB02.10

Treatment of Acute Eosinophilic Pneumonia with Respiratory Failure

This protocol covers acute eosinophilic pneumonia when respiratory failure is present — a presentation that requires a specific, prompt management approach distinct from milder cases.

Clinical Scenario

Respiratory failure is defined as a Pa,O2/FI,O2 ratio ≤300 and/or tachypnea with a respiratory rate exceeding 30 breaths per minute. The presence of either criterion places the patient in this protocol's target population.

Treatment Approach

Management centres on systemic corticosteroid therapy — the full protocol specifies the route, step-down sequence, and duration that the evidence supports.

Complete regimen details are available in the structured protocol below.

Clinical Goals

Instant Access to Structured Evidence-Based Regimens

References

DOI: 10.1183/09031936.00221811

The attending physician chose a regimen based on the presence of respiratory failure defined as a Pa,O2/FI,O2 ratio ≤300 and/or tachypnea (respiration rate >30 breaths·min⁻¹).

When the patient had respiratory failure, methylprednisolone was administered intravenously for 3 days and then changed to oral prednisolone twice a day (fig. 1).

All symptoms improved after a median of 7 (4–10) days; defervescence occurred within 48 h in all patients and dyspnoea was improved within 3 (2–5) days.

The majority of pulmonary infiltrates on chest radiographs disappeared within 7 days after corticosteroid treatment, which is consistent with previous reports.

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