title: Unexplained persistent dyspnea in a young woman with eosinophilic angiocentric fibrosis.
abstract: Eosinophilic angiocentric fibrosis (EAF) is a rare inflammatory disease that primarily involves the nose and sinuses. Involvement of the eye orbit and larynx has also been described. However, it is very rare for this disease to involve the lower respiratory tract and cause dyspnea. We describe a rare case of EAF involving the lower respiratory tract with airway narrowing. A 29-year-old female with a 7-year history of nasal obstruction presented with unexplained persistent dyspnea. EAF was diagnosed via endoscopic biopsy of an irregular mucosal lesion in the posterior wall of the right maxillary sinus. Chest computed tomography and bronchoscopy showed a diffuse inflammatory narrowing of the airway in the tracheobronchial trees. EAF can affect lower respiratory tracts with airway narrowing that can be characterized by dyspnea. We must consider narrowing of the lower respiratory tracts in patients with EAF complaining of unexplained persistent dyspnea.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine.
authors.forename: Woo-Jin
authors.initials: WJ
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Yu-Il
authors.initials: YI
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Ji-Eun
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Young-Hwan
authors.initials: YH
authors.lastname: Choi
authors.forename: Hyong-Ho
authors.initials: HH
authors.lastname: Cho
authors.forename: Yoo-Duk
authors.initials: YD
authors.lastname: Choi
authors.forename: Hyun-Ju
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Seon
authors.forename: Sung-Ho
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Yoon
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001980:Bronchi / Q000473:pathology*; D001991:Bronchitis / Q000150:complications / Q000473:pathology; D002908:Chronic Disease; D004417:Dyspnea / Q000209:etiology*; D004802:Eosinophilia / Q000150:complications / Q000473:pathology*; D005260:Female; D005355:Fibrosis; D006801:Humans; D008443:Maxillary Sinus / Q000473:pathology*
keywords: airway narrowing; dyspnea; eosinophilic angiocentric fibrosis