A 29-Year-Old Man With Nonproductive Cough, Exertional Dyspnea, and Chest Discomfort

Chest. 2015 Sep;148(3):e80-e85. doi: 10.1378/chest.14-2936.

Abstract

A 29-year-old man presented with a 5-month history of worsening dry cough, exertional dyspnea, chest tightness, and palpitations. He had been treated by his primary care physician with trials of guaifenesin/codeine, azithromycin, albuterol, and omeprazole without improvement. He denied wheezing, fever, sweats, anorexia, joint pain, swelling, or rash. He had no past medical history. He denied a history of tobacco smoking or IV drug use. He kept no pets, worked as a manager in an office environment, and had no history of occupational inhalational exposure. He reported using aerosolized insect spray to eradicate bed bugs in his house shortly before the cough began but did not report any acute symptoms when using the spray.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Biopsy
  • Chest Pain
  • Cough
  • Diagnosis, Differential
  • Dyspnea
  • Glucocorticoids / therapeutic use
  • Humans
  • Insecticides / poisoning*
  • Lung Diseases, Interstitial / chemically induced*
  • Lung Diseases, Interstitial / diagnosis*
  • Lung Diseases, Interstitial / drug therapy
  • Male
  • Respiratory Function Tests
  • Tomography, X-Ray Computed

Substances

  • Glucocorticoids
  • Insecticides