A PATIENT WITH ANTINEUTROPHIL CYTOPLASMIC ANTIBODY-NEGATIVE PULMONARYCAPILLARITIS AND CIRCULATING PRIMED NEUTROPHILS

We describe an antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibody-negative patient wi th capillaritis, acute respiratory failure, and primed neutrophils cir culating systemically, Thoracoscopic lung biopsy showed capillary dest ruction, with neutrophils infiltrating the lung interstitium and air s paces but no alveolar damage or hemorrhage. We suggest that this atypi cal, limited form of pulmonary injury may occur when circulating neutr ophils are primed, but, in the absence of an activating factor, not fu lly activated.