A nontrivial differential diagnosis in COVID-19 pandemic: a case report and literary review of amiodarone-induced interstitial pneumonia

Abstract

Amiodarone is a drug commonly used to treat and prevent cardiac arrhythmias, but it is often associated with several adverse effects, the most serious of which is pulmonary toxicity. A 79-year-old man presented with respiratory failure due to interstitial pneumonia during the COVID-19 pandemic. The viral etiology was nevertheless excluded by repeated nasopharyngeal swabs and serological tests and the final diagnosis was amiodarone-induced organizing pneumonia. The clinical and computed tomography findings improved after amiodarone interruption and steroid therapy. Even during a pandemic, differential diagnosis should always be considered and pulmonary toxicity has to be taken into account in any patient taking amiodarone and who has new respiratory symptoms.