A rare case of late presentation of dasatinib-induced cardiopulmonary toxicity

• Main Authors: Harshit Khurana, Vijoy Kumar Jha, Ajay Handa, Debasish Mahapatra
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Wolters Kluwer Medknow Publications 2021-01-01
• Series: Indian Journal of Respiratory Care
• Subjects: cardiopulmonary toxicity; chronic myeloid leukemia; tyrosine kinase inhibitors
• Online Access: http://www.ijrc.in/article.asp?issn=2277-9019;year=2021;volume=10;issue=1;spage=152;epage=155;aulast=
• ISSN: 2277-9019; 2321-4899

Tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKI) (imatinib, dasatinib, and nilotinib) are used for the treatment and long-term control of chronic myeloid leukemia (CML). TKIs rarely cause systemic side effects with atypical presentations, and these must be borne in mind while prescribing these drugs over a prolonged period. Dasatinib-induced cardiopulmonary toxicity should be suspected in patients presenting with new-onset cardiac or pulmonary symptoms, with features of congestive cardiac failure and pulmonary infiltrates. We report a rare presentation of simultaneous occurrence of pleural effusion, interstitial pneumonitis, pulmonary hypertension, and heart failure in a CML patient on dasatinib for >6 years, which was successfully treated with discontinuation of the drug and oral steroids.