title: A 41-year-old woman with shortness of breath and history of rash and recurrent laryngeal edema.
abstract: A 41-year-old Hispanic woman with a 20 pack-year smoking history presented with worsening shortness of breath on exertion that gradually started 2 years ago, then significantly deteriorated over the last 4 months. She was diagnosed with COPD 2 months prior to her presentation and started on treatment with fluticasone propionate and albuterol. Her medical history was relevant for undifferentiated connective tissue disorder diagnosed 5 years prior due to a positive antinuclear antibody test, arthralgia, recurrent urticarial skin rash, peripheral neuropathy, abdominal pain, and diffuse body swelling. She was started on treatment with prednisone and azathioprine at the time and had substantial improvement in the occurrence of her urticaria. She also had a history of recurrent laryngeal edema of unclear etiology. She had no history of IV drug abuse, no exposure to animals, was not sexually active, and had no recent travel outside of Florida. There was no significant family history of lung diseases.
authors: Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, The University of Florida, Gainesville, FL. Electronic address: aliataya@gmail.com.
authors: Ali
authors: A
authors: Ataya
authors: Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, The University of Florida, Gainesville, FL.
authors: Ibrahim
authors: I
authors: Faruqi
authors: Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, The University of Florida, Gainesville, FL.
authors: Juan C
authors: JC
authors: Salgado
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001379:Azathioprine / Q000627:therapeutic use; D003165:Complement System Proteins / Q000032:analysis*; D018450:Disease Progression; D004417:Dyspnea / Q000209:etiology; D005260:Female; D005938:Glucocorticoids / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D007819:Laryngeal Edema / Q000209:etiology; D011241:Prednisone / Q000627:therapeutic use; D011656:Pulmonary Emphysema / Q000503:physiopathology; D012008:Recurrence; D012129:Respiratory Function Tests; D012907:Smoking / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D013577:Syndrome; D014581:Urticaria / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000276:immunology*; D018366:Vasculitis, Leukocytoclastic, Cutaneous / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D005938:Glucocorticoids; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents; D003165:Complement System Proteins; D001379:Azathioprine; D011241:Prednisone