Acute Interstitial Pneumonia

Acute Interstitial Pneumonia

Acute interstitial pneumonia (also known as Hamman-Rich syndrome) is a very rare lung disorder, for which there is no known cause or treatment.

Over 60 per cent of patients die from acute interstitial pneumonia, often due to respiratory failure. 

Symptoms and diagnosis

The symptoms of acute interstitial pneumonia appear suddenly, and are very severe. These include:

·         Cough;

·         Fever; and

·         Difficulty and/or inability to breathe without mechanical ventilation.

The condition can be diagnosed with CT scans, clinical analysis of lung tissue, and pulmonary function testing.

Treatment

Treatment for acute interstitial pneumonia is primarily aimed at keeping the patient alive. The patient is usually kept in the intensive care unit, and dependent on mechanical ventilation. There has been no indication that drug therapy is effective against the condition.

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