Pulmonary Capillaritis in a Patient With Antisynthetase Syndrome and Anti-PL-7 Antibodies.

A 50 year-old man presented with five months of progressive cough and dyspnea, followed by the acute onset of fever and hypoxemic respiratory failure. Open lung biopsy was notable for pulmonary capillaritis with bronchiolitis obliterans organizing pneumonia. Creatine kinase was normal, and aldolase was mildly elevated. There was no history of muscle weakness or rashes. Testing for anti-PL-7 antibodies was positive, and a diagnosis of the antisynthetase syndrome was made. This is the first reported case of pulmonary capillaritis in association with the PL-7 antisynthetase syndrome. Our case highlights the importance of testing for antisynthetase antibodies in patients presenting with pulmonary capillaritis, even in the absence of characteristic skin rashes or overt muscle weakness.