Pleuropulmonary fibrosis associated with chronic and excessive intake of ergotamine.

Retroperitoneal, pleuropulmonary, and endocardial fibroses are relatively uncommon but serious side effects of the prophylactic antimigraine drug methysergide.1 2 Ergotamine is a potent drug in the treatment of the migraine attack, and is chemically related to methysergide. Retroperitoneal fibrosis has been reported in ergotamine users3-' and recently the occurrence of pleuropulmonary fibrosis with ergotamine was described.6 In the case reported here a causal relationship between the long-term use of ergotamine and the occurrence of pleuropulmonary fibrosis appears highly probable.