ABSTRACT
Bronchiolitis obliterans organizing pneumonia (BOOP) is generally idiopathic; however, this lesion may be caused by more than 35 medications and from breast radiotherapy. Drug-induced BOOP may occur as frequently as 15 per cent among individuals taking high-dose amiodarone, but it is generally rare, occurring in less than 0.1 per cent of patients receiving a medication. The outcome of drug-induced BOOP is favourable as this is an inflammatory lesion without residual scarring. Abacavir is an human immunodeficiency virus nucleoside analogue reverse transcriptase inhibitor and may cause hypersensitivity reactions in 3–5 per cent of patients within 6 weeks of treatment. Focal nodular BOOP has been reported in individuals receiving bleomycin. Interferon-a has been associated with BOOP, and as cytarabine ocfosfate is a derivative of cytosine-arabino-side, the cytarabine was the probable causative agent. Sulfasalazine is commonly used for individuals with inflammatory bowel disease, and there have been several reports of sulfasalazine-related BOOP.
