Lung Injury Related to Consuming Sauropus androgynus Vegetable

Abstract

Background: Taking Sauropus androgynus, a Malaysian food, to reduce weight began as a fad in Taiwan in 1994. Some advocates of this fad developed pulmonary dysfunction. The aim of this study is to report the lung injury in patients taking Sauropus androgynus. Methods: From July 1995 to November 1995, we investigated 104 nonsmoking patients (one male and 103 females) with chest roentgenography, pulmonary function test, and Technetium 99m-labeled diethylene triamine penta-acetate (Tc-99m DTPA) radioaerosol inhalation lung scintigraphy. Results: Among the 90 patients receiving Tc-99m DTPA inhalation lung scan, 46 (51.1%) patients had increased clearance of Tc-99m DTPA from lung and 20 (22.2%) patients had inhomogeneous deposition of the submicronic radioaerosol. Eighteen (18/100) patients had obstructive ventilatory impairment in pulmonary function test. Analyzing the results, we found that the patients with respiratory symptoms (n=42) took more vegetables (p=0.016, had increased clearance of Tc-99m DTPA (p=0.010) and had lower FEV, (p=0.001), FEV₁/FVC (p>0.001), FEF_25–75 (p=0.001), VC (p=0.002) and DL_co (p=0.009) than the patients without respiratory symptoms (n=62). FEV, and FEV₁/FVC were significantly reduced in patients with severe impairment of alveolar permeability. The cumulative dosage and duration of exposure were significantly associated with the reduction of FEV₁ and FEV₁/FVC