Acute fibrinous and organizing pneumonia: A case report and literature review

Abstract

Acute fibrinous and organizing pneumonia (AFOP) is a rare lung disease with distinct histological characteristics that include the diffuse presence of intra-alveolar fibrin,and the absence of eosinophils and hyaline membrane. In the present study,a case of AFOP that was diagnosed by lung biopsy is described. The patient presented with high fever and a cough with expectoration. Computed tomography of the lung showed the presence of bilateral patchy infiltrates,predominantly in the lower lobes. Histopathological examination of lung biopsy from the lower pulmonary lobe confirmed the pathological diagnosis. The patient showed a poor response to treatment with prednisone. Based on a review of literature pertaining to documented AFOP cases,a summary of the clinical features,radiological characteristics,treatment outcomes and prognoses associated with AFOP are presented. The most common pulmonary symptoms included cough,dyspnea and fever. The primary imaging findings in AFOP were consolidation and ground-glass opacity in the bilateral lung.