This rare lung condition can happen when fat (lipids) builds up in your lungs. Here's an overview, including its types, causes, treatments, and ways to help prevent it.
What Is Lipoid Pneumonia?
Also called lipid pneumonia, it's an uncommon lung disease where fat builds up in your lungs, causing inflammation. That makes your air sacs, called alveoli, fill up with fluid and pus.
There are two types of lipoid pneumonia: endogenous and exogenous.
Endogenous lipoid pneumonia. This is sometimes called cholesterol pneumonia or idiopathic pneumonia. It's a reaction to damaged tissue that releases fat and cholesterol. Sometimes, that fat and cholesterol gather in your lungs and cause inflammation and pneumonia. It's usually a chronic condition.
Exogenous lipoid pneumonia. This is caused by breathing in fatty or oily substances such as vegetable oil or mineral oil. Oil particles gather in your lungs and cause pneumonia. This condition can be sudden or develop over time.
Depending on your lung damage, lipoid pneumonia can be severe and even life-threatening.
What Are Symptoms of Lipoid Pneumonia?
Lipoid pneumonia can look different from person to person. Symptoms may be vague and look like those of other diseases, so it's sometimes not diagnosed right away.
Common symptoms include:
- Trouble breathing
- Chest pain
- Ongoing coughing
- Coughing up blood
- Fever
- Weight loss
Symptoms can get worse over time or come on suddenly. Animal fats cause more severe reactions than vegetable and mineral oils.
Causes of Endogenous Lipoid Pneumonia
Endogenous lipoid pneumonia is related to other health problems. These are usually fat storage and fat metabolism diseases, where your body stores too much fat or has trouble breaking it down. This can cause unusual fat storage in the lungs, which damages tissues and causes inflammation.
These diseases include:
- Gaucher disease
- Niemann-Pick disease
- Fabry disease
- Farber disease
- Gangliosidosis
- Krabbe's disease
- Metachromatic leukodystrophy
- Wolman's disease
Lung tumors might also be a cause. The tumor blocks airways and causes cell damage and breakdown. This debris can have cholesterol that builds up and causes inflammation.
Ongoing inflammation from some diseases can also cause lipoid pneumonia, including:
- Immune system diseases
- Joint and muscle diseases
- Pulmonary alveolar proteinosis
- Chronic lung infection
Causes of Exogenous Lipoid Pneumonia
Exogenous lipoid pneumonia is caused by inhaling oily substances. Your body sees these substances as foreign objects and reacts to extended exposure or contact. There are several common causes:
Vaping. E-cigarette cartridges heat oil, nicotine, or cannabis compounds, flavorings, and other chemicals, which makes a vapor. When you vape, you inhale these chemicals and tiny oil particles into your lungs. These fatty oil particles gather and cause damage, which can lead to acute exogenous lipoid pneumonia.
If you continue to vape, you can get chronic lipoid pneumonia. The more you vape, the more lipids build up in your lungs, raising your chance of getting pneumonia.
Laxatives. Taking mineral oil laxatives is the most common cause of lipoid pneumonia. Other oil-based laxatives, such as cod liver oil, paraffin oil, or glycerine can also cause it. Oil-based tablets (suppositories) inserted into your bottom can also cause lung problems.
Paints and lubricants. Crude mineral oil is used in manufacturing and other workplaces. People who work with lubricants, machine oil, paints, or pesticides at work or home can get lipoid pneumonia.
Performers. Fire-eaters breathe in petroleum products, which can cause lung problems.
Personal care products. Regularly using certain products may lead to lipoid pneumonia. Those may include:
- Lip gloss
- Petroleum jelly
- Chest rub
- Oil-based nose drops
Oil pulling may also raise your risk. It involves swishing sesame oil or coconut oil in your mouth to improve dental health.
Other causes. Suddenly aspirating oily substances into your lungs can cause lipoid pneumonia. Children are more likely to accidentally breathe things into their lungs. You may also be at a higher risk if you have:
- A cleft palate
- Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD)
- Brain disorders that cause trouble swallowing
How Is Lipoid Pneumonia Treated?
Treatment depends on the cause. With endogenous lipid pneumonia, treating your underlying health problem can help. Other treatments might include:
- Enzyme replacement therapy
- Whole lung lavage, or washing the lungs with saline solution
- Steroid medication
- Oxygen support
- Respiratory therapy
With exogenous lipoid pneumonia, the best treatment is to stop the use of the irritating substance. This alone is often enough to improve your symptoms. There aren't a lot of other treatments that work.
You can help prevent lipoid pneumonia by not vaping and being careful with oily products. Using protective face masks while working around lubricants, paints, pesticides, and other airborne products can help prevent lung damage from this type of lipoid pneumonia.
Takeaways
Lipoid pneumonia is a rare lung condition that can happen from breathing fats into your lungs. One type is caused by substances already in your body, and another type is caused by substances you breathe in. It can also be linked to other health conditions. Symptoms include trouble breathing, coughing, chest pain, and weight loss. This condition can be hard to diagnose because it may look like other health issues. See your doctor right away if you have symptoms. Treatment depends on your type of lipoid pneumonia, symptoms, and extent of lung damage. In extreme cases, it can be life-threatening.
Lipoid Pneumonia FAQs
What are the odds of getting lipoid pneumonia?
Low. This is a rare lung condition. But it's important to know your risks and be able to spot the symptoms.
Can lipoid pneumonia heal itself?
It depends. Mild cases may heal after you remove the substance causing it. Other and more serious cases won't get better without medical treatment.
Can vaping cause lipoid pneumonia?
Yes. Vaping is a leading cause of this condition.
Does oil pulling help the lungs?
No, it can do a lot of lung damage.
What does lipoid mean in medical terms?
Also called lipids, lipoids are fat molecules.
