Gaucher Cells in Pulmonary-Capillary Blood in Association with Pulmonary Hypertension

To the Editor: Although pulmonary involvement in adult-type Gaucher's disease (type 1) is unusual, as compared with the infantile type (type 2), previous reports have described aggregations of Gaucher cells within the alveolar spaces and interstitium in association with bilateral diffuse reticulonodular infiltrates.1 Gaucher cells have rarely been reported to occlude pulmonary capillaries, with resulting pulmonary hypertension.2 The hepatopulmonary syndrome, as manifested by intrapulmonary shunting and hypoxemia, may also complicate type 1 Gaucher's disease. Alglucerase, a modified human placental β-glucocerebrosidase, is not known to cause pulmonary hypertension, although antibodies to the enzyme have been reported in patients treated with the . . .