Annals of Thoracic Medicine (Jan 2016)

Pulmonary sarcoidosis presenting with acute respiratory distress syndrome

  • Sabrina Arondi,
  • Alberto Valsecchi,
  • Andrea Borghesi,
  • Stefano Monti

DOI
https://doi.org/10.4103/1817-1737.164301
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 11, no. 1
pp. 79 – 81

Abstract

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Sarcoidosis is a common disease that involve almost constantly the lung. Usually the onset is insidious, and symptoms are slowly ingravescent. Very rarely, as in the case here reported, sarcoidosis can cause an acute respiratory failure with acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). A 20-year-old girl from Pakistan presented for acute fatigue, fever, and cough with a chest X-ray displayed the micronodular interstitial disease. Despite of anti-tuberculosis therapy, ARDS developed in a few days requiring continuous positive airway pressure treatment. Examinations on transbronchial specimens obtained by bronchoscopy permitted to reach the diagnosis of sarcoidosis and steroid therapy improved rapidly clinical conditions. This is the first case report reported in Europe that confirms the rare onset of sarcoidosis as ARDS. Steroid therapy allows to cure rapidly this severe complication.

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