Abstract
A 30-year-old man developed chills, cough and dyspnea a few minutes after using a fluoropolymer-based waterproofing spray in a small closed room. He visited our hospital 1 h later. Examination revealed that the patient had incessant cough, tachypnea, fever and decreased peripheral arterial oxygen saturation. Blood tests revealed leukocytosis with elevated serum C-reactive protein levels. Chest radiographs and computed tomography (CT) scan showed bilateral ground glass opacities, mainly in the upper lobes. Bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) fluid obtained from the right middle lobe showed a bloody appearance. Microscopic examination of a BAL cytospin specimen revealed the presence of numerous red blood cells associated with extreme neutrophilia. Microbiological studies of the BAL fluid were negative. The patient was observed without corticosteroid therapy, and his symptoms and abnormal shadows on the chest radiographs and CT improved. On day 7 after admission, the patient was discharged from the hospital. Accidental inhalation of waterproofing spray may cause diffuse alveolar hemorrhage, a rare manifestation of acute lung injury. Supportive treatment may be effective and sufficient.
Highlights
A 30-year-old man developed chills, cough and dyspnea a few minutes after using a fluoropolymer-based waterproofing spray in a small closed room
Bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) fluid obtained from the right middle lobe showed a bloody appearance (Figure 2, left)
While the upper lobes appeared to be predominantly involved, the middle lobe was selected for obtaining the BAL sample, because this lobe is the smallest and yields the largest return (Baughman 2007)
Summary
A 30-year-old man developed chills, cough and dyspnea a few minutes after using a fluoropolymer-based waterproofing spray in a small closed room. The blood tests revealed leukocytosis [20,300 cells/μL (normal, 4,000–8,000 cells/μL) with 91.5% neutrophils, 0% eosinophils and 6.5% lymphocytes], elevated serum C-reactive protein levels [3.14 mg/dL Microscopic examination of a BAL cytospin specimen revealed the presence of numerous red blood cells with extreme neutrophilia (differential neutrophil count 79.8%, normal range
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