Presenter: Robert J. Zabel, DO (Resident)
Dermatology Program: Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine / Lehigh Valley Hospital
Program Director: Stephen Purcell, DO
Submitted on: Aug 29, 2002
CHIEF COMPLAINT: Chest pain and shortness of breath
CLINICAL HISTORY:
Signs and symptoms: A 60-year-old Hispanic female with a two-year history of idiopathic crescentic glomerulonephritis presented with chest pain and shortness of breath. Cardiac ischemia was excluded from serial lab studies and intravenous heparin was started for a potential pulmonary embolism. On hospital day three, subcutaneous nodules were noted on her forehead. These nodules rapidly increased in size and number over a 24-48 hour period. They spread rapidly over the face, neck, upper trunk, and upper extremities. The subcutaneous nodules transitioned to exophytic and weeping lesions. On hospital day seven, she developed a productive cough with blood-tinged sputum and a chest radiograph showed diffuse bilateral infiltrates. A pulmonary angiogram was negative for an embolism and anticoagulation was stopped. A bronchoscopy revealed nodules lining the bronchi and diffuse alveolar hemorrhage.
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