pulmonary disorders
Acute Interstitial Pneumonia
Introduction
Acute interstitial pneumonia (AIP) is a rare and fulminant idiopathic pulmonary disorder that manifests similarly to acute respiratory distress syndrome ( Acute Hypoxemic Respiratory Failure (AHRF, ARDS) ) . Acute interstitial pneumonia (AIP), a form of Overview of Idiopathic Interstitial Pneumonias , equally affects apparently healthy men and women, usually those AIP is defined histologically by organizing diffuse alveolar damage, a nonspecific pattern that occurs in other causes of lung injury unrelated to idiopathic interstitial pneumonia. The hallmark of organizing diffuse alveolar damage is diffuse, marked alveolar septal edema with inflammatory cell infiltration, fibroblast proliferation, occasional hyaline membranes, and thickening of the alveolar walls. Septa are lined with atypical, hyperplastic type II pneumocytes, and airspaces are collapsed. Thrombi develop in small arteries but are nonspecific. Symptoms of acute interstitial pneumonia consist of the abrupt onset of fever, cough, and shortness of breath, which in most patients increase in severity over 7 to 14 days, progressing to Acute Hypoxemic Respiratory Failure (AHRF, ARDS) . 