CHRONIC DIFFUSE INTERSTITIAL PNEUMONIA AS SOCIATED WITH CHRONIC ACTIVE HEPATITIS - 2 CASES

Two cases of chronic active hepatitis associated with diffuse intersti tial pneumonia (lymphoid in one patient, lymphoid and fibrosing in the other) are reported. Histopathological data from the lungs, together with the parallel course of pulmonary and hepatic manifestations obser ved under corticosteroid therapy, suggest that these two diseases shar ed a common dysimmune pathogenesis. A few cases identical with these h ave been found in the literature. The clinical, laboratory and histopa thological elements obtained from these cases also suggest an immune c ause in most patients.