Thoracic aortitis and aortic dissection following pegfilgrastim administration.

The patient was a 67-year-old woman with a history of advanced lung adenocarcinoma. Eight days after pegfilgrastim administration, her computed tomography scan revealed thickened bilateral common carotid arteries and thoracic aorta, which led to the diagnosis of pegfilgrastim-associated aortitis. Thirty-six days after pegfilgrastim administration, asymptomatic Stanford type B aortic dissection was detected. Her serum biomarker analysis suggested that interleukin-6 might be involved in the pathogenesis. Physicians should be aware of these adverse effects of filgrastim.