Medication Summary
The minimal nature of symptoms in most patients with Löffler syndrome usually denotes that no pharmacologic therapy is required for this self-limiting condition. For drug-induced pulmonary eosinophilia, discontinue administration of the offending drug. When a parasitic infection is documented, appropriate use of anthelmintic drugs is indicated. In severe cases of simple pulmonary or drug-induced eosinophilia, systemic corticosteroids are highly effective.
Corticosteroids
Class Summary
Markedly reduce the survival of certain inflammatory cells, including eosinophils. Eosinophil survival is dependent on the presence of certain cytokines (eg, interleukin-5 [IL-5], granulocyte macrophage colony stimulating factor and [GM-CSF]), whose effects are blocked by administration of corticosteroids.
Prednisone (Deltasone, Meticorten, Orasone, Sterapred)
May decrease inflammation by reversing increased capillary permeability and suppressing PMN activity.
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Initial chest radiograph of a 54-year-old man showing subtle opacity (arrows) in the right middle lung zone.
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Follow-up chest radiograph of a 54-year-old man showing migrating opacity in the left lower lobe (arrows) obtained 20 days after the previous image.
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High-resolution CT scan (1 mm collimation) obtained in a 54-year-old man showing consolidation with surrounding ground-glass opacity in the left lower lobe. Dilated airways are observed within the lesion. This CT scan was obtained between the first and second images above.
