Extrapulmonary thoracic restriction (hidebound chest) complicating eosinophilic fasciitis.
Eosinophilic fasciitis (EF) is an unusual disorder characterized by diffuse skin thickening and induration due to inflammation within the deep fascia; visceral involvement is generally mild or absent. A patient with biopsy-proved EF developed progressive respiratory limitation. Physical examination revealed marked induration of the thoracic integument with a severely limited chest wall excursion. Total lung capacity was 62 percent of predicted with a normal corrected Dco and maximal inspiratory force; a chest computed tomogram with thin sections showed no evidence of parenchymal lung disease. Extrapulmonary thoracic restriction ("hidebound chest") has not been previously reported to complicate EF.
Pulmonary Center, Boston University School of Medicine.
R B
RB
Chalker
B F
BF
Dickey
N C
NC
Rosenthal
R W
RW
Simms
D000368:Aged; D004802:Eosinophilia / Q000150:complications*; D005208:Fasciitis / Q000150:complications*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D013902:Radiography, Thoracic; D012120:Respiration Disorders / Q000209:etiology*; D012129:Respiratory Function Tests; D013909:Thorax; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed