A rare disorder, lipoid pneumonia results from particles in fatty substances, such as cooking oils, making their way into the lungs. In addition to external sources, fat particles can also enter the lungs due to certain medical conditions and disorders, including lung cancer, rheumatoid arthritis, and pulmonary tuberculosis. When fat particles enter the lungs, the airways become inflamed, and breathing is affected.
There are two types of lipoid pneumonia, and each have different causes:
Symptoms can sometimes be mild or unnoticeable at first but typically become progressively worse. Common symptoms include:
Some people also experience fever, weight loss, trouble swallowing, and night sweats. Damage from persistent cough can also lead to coughing up blood.
Exogenous forms of this respiratory condition are often treated with corticosteroid medications, which reduce swelling in the lungs. With endogenous lipoid pneumonia, treatment of underlying medical conditions may lessen the impact of symptoms. For example, Gaucher disease is characterized by enzyme deficiency, and enzyme replacement therapy can correct the deficiency.
Endogenous lipoid pneumonia can also result from lung tumours, which may block the airways and cause tissues to break down (which allows fatty substances in the tissues to be present in the lungs). In this case, doctors may recommend chemotherapy, radiation therapy, and targeted drug treatment to reduce the size of the tumour and prevent irritation to the lungs.