Introduction:
This text presents a case report of a patient with lung injury associated with electronic cigarette (e-cig) use. The reader will learn about the clinical and pathological findings of the case, as well as the diagnostic process and treatment.
Key Points:
* The patient is a 46-year-old man who developed respiratory distress, night sweats, fever, and weight loss after using e-cigs for approximately 1 month.
* Bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) and transbronchial lung biopsy (TBLB) examinations led to the diagnosis of acute alveolitis caused by e-cig use.
* The symptoms were rapidly alleviated upon e-cig use termination and methylprednisolone pulse therapy.
* There have been only a few reported cases of e-cig-induced lung injury.
* In e-cig users presenting with atypical pneumonia, close examination by BAL and biopsy should be performed to verify the presence or absence of lipid-laden macrophages.
* E-cigarettes contain fewer toxins than cigarettes, but lung injury caused by e-cig use continues to be reported.
* The study does not establish a causal relationship between e-cig use and lung injury, but rather reports a case of a patient with both.
Main Message:
The text highlights the importance of closely examining e-cig users who present with atypical pneumonia, as they may have lung injury associated with e-cig use. The case report also highlights the need for further research on the safety of e-cigs on the respiratory system, as there are many different types of e-cigs commercially available and their safety has not been fully examined. It is important for healthcare providers to be aware of the potential for lung injury associated with e-cig use and to consider this in their diagnostic decision-making.
Citation
Itoh, Masayuki, Kazutetsu Aoshiba, Yoriko Herai, Hiroyuki Nakamura, and Tamiko Takemura. “Lung Injury Associated with Electronic Cigarettes Inhalation Diagnosed by Transbronchial Lung Biopsy.” Respirology Case Reports 6, no. 1 (January 2018): e00282. https://doi.org/10.1002/rcr2.282.
