tetano
Editor, Senior Moderator
BMJ Case Rep
. 2020 May 27;13(5):e236069.
doi: 10.1136/bcr-2020-236069.
80-year-old Man With Dyspnoea and Bilateral Groundglass Infiltrates: An Elusive Case of COVID-19
Matthew J Samec[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Ali Khawaja[SUP] 2 [/SUP], Ashokakumar M Patel[SUP] 2 [/SUP], Sagar B Dugani[SUP] 3 [/SUP]
Affiliations
Abstract
COVID-19 is a novel viral infection caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome-coronavirus-2 virus, first identified in Wuhan, China in December 2019. COVID-19 has spread rapidly and is now considered a global pandemic. We present a case of a patient with minimal respiratory symptoms but prominent bilateral groundglass opacities in a 'crazy paving' pattern on chest CT imaging and a negative initial infectious workup. However, given persistent dyspnoea and labs suggestive of COVID-19 infection, the patient remained hospitalised for further monitoring. Forty-eight hours after initial testing, the PCR test was repeated and returned positive for COVID-19. This case illustrates the importance of clinical vigilance to retest patients for COVID-19, particularly in the absence of another compelling aetiology. As COVID-19 testing improves to rapidly generate results, selective retesting of patients may uncover additional COVID-19 cases and strengthen measures to minimise the spread of COVID-19.
Keywords: pneumonia (respiratory medicine); respiratory system.
. 2020 May 27;13(5):e236069.
doi: 10.1136/bcr-2020-236069.
80-year-old Man With Dyspnoea and Bilateral Groundglass Infiltrates: An Elusive Case of COVID-19
Matthew J Samec[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Ali Khawaja[SUP] 2 [/SUP], Ashokakumar M Patel[SUP] 2 [/SUP], Sagar B Dugani[SUP] 3 [/SUP]
Affiliations
- PMID: 32467124
- DOI: 10.1136/bcr-2020-236069
Abstract
COVID-19 is a novel viral infection caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome-coronavirus-2 virus, first identified in Wuhan, China in December 2019. COVID-19 has spread rapidly and is now considered a global pandemic. We present a case of a patient with minimal respiratory symptoms but prominent bilateral groundglass opacities in a 'crazy paving' pattern on chest CT imaging and a negative initial infectious workup. However, given persistent dyspnoea and labs suggestive of COVID-19 infection, the patient remained hospitalised for further monitoring. Forty-eight hours after initial testing, the PCR test was repeated and returned positive for COVID-19. This case illustrates the importance of clinical vigilance to retest patients for COVID-19, particularly in the absence of another compelling aetiology. As COVID-19 testing improves to rapidly generate results, selective retesting of patients may uncover additional COVID-19 cases and strengthen measures to minimise the spread of COVID-19.
Keywords: pneumonia (respiratory medicine); respiratory system.