Acute alveolar sarcoidosis presenting with hypoxaemic respiratory failure.
Alveolar sarcoidosis is a less commonly seen pulmonary manifestation of the disease. An acute presentation of this radiological pattern with hypoxaemic respiratory failure has been documented only once, four decades ago. A 30-year-old man presented with acute onset of progressive and persistent dyspnoea over 20 days ago with hypoxaemic respiratory failure. Imaging demonstrated mediastinal lymphadenopathy and coalescent parenchymal alveolar opacities having ill-defined margins along with air bronchograms in the mid and lower zones bilaterally, suggestive of alveolar sarcoidosis. A restrictive pattern with a diffusion defect was seen on pulmonary function testing. Bronchoscopic evaluation revealed non-caseating granulomas on histopathology confirming pulmonary sarcoidosis. This was further supported by an elevated serum ACE level and negative Mantoux test. Oral prednisolone elicited a rapid clinical and radiological response. Alveolar sarcoidosis can rarely present acutely with hypoxaemic respiratory failure, which can respond remarkably and expeditiously to appropriate therapy.
Department of Respiratory Medicine, Vallabhbhai Patel Chest Institute, University of Delhi, Delhi, India.
Kamal
K
Gera
Nitesh
N
Gupta
Anuradha
A
Ahuja
Ashok
A
Shah
D000208:Acute Disease; D000328:Adult; D001707:Biopsy, Needle; D001999:Bronchoscopy / Q000379:methods; D003287:Contrast Media; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D000860:Hypoxia / Q000175:diagnosis; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008297:Male; D011239:Prednisolone / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D011856:Radiographic Image Enhancement; D013902:Radiography, Thoracic / Q000379:methods; D035583:Rare Diseases; D012131:Respiratory Insufficiency / Q000175:diagnosis*; D017565:Sarcoidosis, Pulmonary / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy*; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed / Q000379:methods; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D003287:Contrast Media; D011239:Prednisolone