Dust in the Wind
Journal of Hospital Medicine 12(10). 2017 October;846-850 | 10.12788/jhm.2845
September 26, 2017|Journal of Hospital Medicine
The approach to clinical conundrums by an expert clinician is revealed through the presentation of an actual patient’s case in an approach typical of a morning report. Similarly to patient care, sequential pieces of information are provided to the clinician, who is unfamiliar with the case. The focus is on the thought processes of both the clinical team caring for the patient and the discussant.
TEACHING POINTS
- With the potential for the rapid progression of respiratory failure, it is imperative that the diagnosis of AEP be considered for a patient with diffuse infiltrates on a chest radiograph and acute respiratory failure of unknown cause.
- A thorough history of exposure is key to including AEP in the differential of acute pulmonary disease, with recent-onset cigarette smoking and dust exposure.
- The rapid initiation of steroids leads to a full recovery without recurrence and may be life-saving in AEP.
Disclosure
The authors report no conflicts of interest.
