Question:

Hi. I´m a 37 year old danish woman. I was diagnoses with BOOP in august and I´m i treatment with Prednisolon. My question is, when I´m done with the treatment, is the BOOP the gone forever or is there a risk that it will return? I also got a bloodclod i my lung 4 weeks ago, do you think that just was bad luck or can it be related to the BOOP? I´m now in treatment with Marquemar and Arixtra.

Answer:

Bronchiolitis obliterans organizing pneumonia or BOOP has now been termed – Cryptogenic organizing pneumonia (COP), the idiopathic form of organizing pneumonia.

It represents an inflammatory lung condition which may occur in response to many factors or truly be idiopathic without obvious association.

Treatment with steroid (like prednisone) is typical. Ultimate recovery with normalization of exam is common and has been estimated at about 2/3 of patients.

Your first question is about relapse or return of COP (BOOP). Return has been reported and can occur in up to ½ of patients at some time but often responds to repeat therapy (Barroso E, Hernandez L, Gil J, Garcia R, Aranda I, Romero S Respiration. 2007;74(6):624).
 
Your second question is about association of blood clots (pulmonary embolism) with COP. In general, COP is not associated with pulmonary embolism.

However, some problems (which you do not describe) can cause both BOOP and clots such as lupus erythematosis. This is much less common.

Similarly, immobility or surgical procedures can be risk factors for pulmonary embolism and patients who undergo a surgical biopsy for COP may occasionally have a blood clot after surgery.

For more information:

Go to the Lung diseases health topic.