PT  - JOURNAL ARTICLE
AU  - Zamora, A. C.
AU  - Collard, H. R.
AU  - Wolters, P. J.
AU  - Webb, W. R.
AU  - King, T. E.
TI  - Neurofibromatosis-associated lung disease: a case series and literature review
AID  - 10.1183/09031936.06.00044006
DP  - 2007 Jan 01
TA  - European Respiratory Journal
PG  - 210--214
VI  - 29
IP  - 1
4099  - http://erj.ersjournals.com/content/29/1/210.short
4100  - http://erj.ersjournals.com/content/29/1/210.full
SO  - Eur Respir J2007 Jan 01; 29
AB  - An association of neurofibromatosis with diffuse lung disease (NF-DLD) has been described, but its true prevalence and characteristics remain unclear. The objective of the present study was to define diffuse lung disease in patients with neurofibromatosis. A retrospective case series and literature review in a tertiary care academic medical centre is reported in which medical records, chest radiographs and high-resolution computed tomography (HRCT) scans were reviewed. A total of 55 adult patients with neurofibromatosis were identified, three of whom had NF-DLD. A literature review revealed 16 articles reporting 61 additional cases, yielding a total of 64 NF-DLD cases. The mean age of patients was 50 yrs. Males outnumbered females; most reported dyspnoea. Of the 16 subjects with documented smoking histories, 12 were ever-smokers. Eight patients had HRCT scan results demonstrating ground-glass opacities (37%), bibasilar reticular opacities (50%), bullae (50%), cysts (25%) and emphysema (25%); none had honeycombing. A group of 14 patients had surgical biopsy results that showed findings of interstitial fibrosis (100%) and interstitial inflammation (93%). In conclusion, neurofibromatosis with diffuse lung disease is a definable clinical entity, characterised by upper lobe cystic and bullous disease and lower lobe fibrosis. Its relationship to smoking remains unclear.