Basit A, Kiran T, Shaista F, Saifullah M, Basil AM. Exogenous lipoid pneumonia associated with nasal decongestants use: A narrative review of an under recognized clinical entity. World J Respirol 2025; 14(1): 109353 [DOI: 10.5320/wjr.v14.i1.109353]
Corresponding Author of This Article
Abdul M Basil, MD, Department of Medicine, Spinghar Medical University, 4th Alley, Char Rahe Qambar Kabul, Kabul 1001, Kābul, Afghanistan. abdulmaboodbasil@outlook.com
Research Domain of This Article
Respiratory System
Article-Type of This Article
Minireviews
Open-Access Policy of This Article
This article is an open-access article which was selected by an in-house editor and fully peer-reviewed by external reviewers. It is distributed in accordance with the Creative Commons Attribution Non Commercial (CC BY-NC 4.0) license, which permits others to distribute, remix, adapt, build upon this work non-commercially, and license their derivative works on different terms, provided the original work is properly cited and the use is non-commercial. See: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/
World J Respirol. Jun 17, 2025; 14(1): 109353 Published online Jun 17, 2025. doi: 10.5320/wjr.v14.i1.109353
Exogenous lipoid pneumonia associated with nasal decongestants use: A narrative review of an under recognized clinical entity
Abdul Basit, Tehreem Kiran, Fnu Shaista, Muneeb Saifullah, Abdul M Basil
Abdul Basit, Tehreem Kiran, Muneeb Saifullah, Department of Medicine, King Edward Medical University, Lahore 54000, Punjab, Pakistan
Fnu Shaista, Department of Medicine, Liaquat University of Medical and Health Sciences, Jamshoro 76090, Sindh, Pakistan
Abdul M Basil, Department of Medicine, Spinghar Medical University, Kabul 1001, Kābul, Afghanistan
Author contributions: Basit A conceived the manuscript; Basit A, Kiran T, Shaista F, Saifullah M, Basil AM wrote and reviewed the manuscript; and all authors thoroughly reviewed and endorsed the final manuscript.
Conflict-of-interest statement: All the authors report no relevant conflicts of interest for this article.
Open Access: This article is an open-access article that was selected by an in-house editor and fully peer-reviewed by external reviewers. It is distributed in accordance with the Creative Commons Attribution NonCommercial (CC BY-NC 4.0) license, which permits others to distribute, remix, adapt, build upon this work non-commercially, and license their derivative works on different terms, provided the original work is properly cited and the use is non-commercial. See: https://creativecommons.org/Licenses/by-nc/4.0/
Corresponding author: Abdul M Basil, MD, Department of Medicine, Spinghar Medical University, 4th Alley, Char Rahe Qambar Kabul, Kabul 1001, Kābul, Afghanistan. abdulmaboodbasil@outlook.com
Received: May 8, 2025 Revised: May 14, 2025 Accepted: May 28, 2025 Published online: June 17, 2025 Processing time: 40 Days and 10.6 Hours
Abstract
Exogenous lipoid pneumonia is a rare and under recognized pulmonary disorder caused by the inhalation or aspiration of fat-like substances. Nasal decongestants containing mineral oils or paraffin are emerging as overlooked etiological agents. This review consolidates existing literature to delineate the clinical, radiological, and pathological features of exogenous lipoid pneumonia induced by nasal decongestants, highlight diagnostic challenges, and underscore the importance of thorough patient history in early diagnosis and management. This condition, while preventable, can result in serious pulmonary complications if not recognized early. It necessitates a multidisciplinary approach that incorporates careful history taking, high-resolution imaging, cytological assessment, and public health vigilance.
Core Tip: Exogenous lipoid pneumonia from nasal decongestants is a preventable but often missed diagnosis. Early recognition through detailed history and imaging is crucial to avoid serious lung complications.
