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Case Report: Delayed Recurrent Spontaneous Pneumothorax Associated with COVID-19
Ali Gohari
1, Hossein Mehravaran
2, Ali Boustani
3, Mahboubeh Darban
4, Sara Reshadat
5*1Department of Internal Medicine, Semnan University of Medical Sciences, Semnan, Iran.
2Department of Internal Medicine, Pulmonary and Critical Care Division, School of Medicine, Mazandaran Universi- ty of Medical Sciences, Sari, Iran.
3Department of Internal Medicine, Semnan University of Medical Sciences, Semnan, Iran.
4Department of Internal Medicine, Semnan University of Medical Sciences, Semnan, Iran.
5*Department of Internal Medicine, Semnan University of Medical Sciences, Semnan, Iran.
Email: [email protected]
ABSTRACT
Rapid spread of the latest Coronavirus infection (COVID-19) issued a big challenge to health-care systems. It took COVID- 19 only few months to be labelled as Pandemic by World Health Organization (WHO). The challenge effects has been vast since there was inadequate information about manifestation and treatment of the new disease. COVID-19 was known as a Respiratory Tract Infecting virus first but soon after it turned into a potentiated worldwide threat, first reports started to un- veil more characteristic conditions of the disease such as olfactory failure and gastrointestinal discomfort. These characteris- tics helped to have a better sight in order to detect patients in initial stages of the disease.
KEYWORDS
Pneumothorax Associated, COVID-19, Interstitial Lung Disease (ILD), Spontaneous Pneumothorax.
Introduction
Since late December 2019, the health-care systems encountered a novel kind of viral disease which caused a pro- found quantity of death and morbidity.(1-3)Additionally, lack of information at the first months made the situation more complicated.(4-6)Some characteristics such as olfactory failure and gastrointestinal discomfort were reported just after the onset of the disease.(7, 8) Nevertheless, as more than a year passed, secondary complications such as COVID-19 associated Pneumothorax merged.(9)Pneumothorax is a condition in which air blows out the lungs into the chest and may cause acute shortness of breath and can be even fatal.(10) Usually, it happens either in concurrence with barotrauma during mechanical ventilation or may happen spontaneously.(10) Recent findings show several cas- es in which pneumothorax happens in people with COVID-19 infection even in absence of mechanical ventilation.(11)Thus, we are not only responsible to take lifesaving actions in acute phases, but realize and prevent further sequels of the disease.Herein, we are going to introduce a patient suffering COVID-19 infection with no coin- cident bilateral pneumothorax.
Case Description
A 64-year-old man admitted to the Emergency Room (ER) with shortness of breath and swelling of right lower ex- tremity. There was no remarkable medical history unless a prior 4-day hospital admission, about four weeks earlier, due to fever, malaise, and dyspnea with a positive RT-PCR for COVID-19. The patient was discharged after relative improvement in order to fulfill his treatment at home. After the discharge, he was totally symptom-free until he expe- rienced an increasing shortness of breath and swelling of the right lower extremity, four days before he was admitted to our emergency ward. On admission, his vital signs indicated a body temperature of 38.1℃, BP: 140/90 mmHg, PR: 100, and a plunged O2 Saturation into 68% that could be corrected to 97% by a 10 lit/min reserve bag. In initial physical examination, there was a decrease in pulmonary sounds in lower right lung. Furthermore, circumference of right leg was 42 cm, 3cm more than left leg’s, and it was tender, warm, and erythematous as well.
According to the findings in physical examination, the patient immediately underwent a pulmonary CT Angiography (CTA) in order to rule out possible pulmonary thromboembolism (PTE). Although no evidence of pulmonary throm- bosis was seen in the Chest CT,Organizing Pneumonitis (OP) and to some extent, Interstitial Lung Disease (ILD)
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was detected in lower lobe of the right lung. [Fig1]
Figure 1.Chest CT with contrast on the first day of admission showing parenchymal involvement
Additionally, Color Doppler Ultra sonography ruled out deep vein thrombosis (DVT) and subsequently, Vancomy- cin, and other spread spectrum antibiotics administrated for possible soft tissue infection due to previous hospitaliza- tion.
Unexpectedly, laboratory examinations resulted in a negative RT_PCR for COVID-19 infection and also an abnor- mal LFT which led the patient underwent liver ultra-sonography (US).[Table1] Regarding to normal US report, LFT alteration could be caused due to the recent inflammation.In addition, a raise in blood BUN and Creatinine was re- ported. As the patient had got no renal dysfunction formerly, it could be interpreted as the effects of nephrotoxic an- tibiotics on kidneys. Therefore, all medications were renal adjusted.
Table 1.Laboratory data of the patient Laboratory Data
Variable Reference Range, Adults Hospital on Evaluation
First Second Third
CBC
Hematocrit (%) 42-50 29.1 32.9 32.6
Hemoglobin (gr/dl) 14-17 9.7 11.1 10.9
White Blood Cells (10^3/μL) 4-10 11.7 14.25 15.9
Differential count (%)
Neutrophils 90.7
Band forms 0
Lymphocytes 10 3 3.4
Monocytes 8.3 5.6 4.5
Eosinophils 0 0.6 0.3
Basophils 0.1 0.1 0.2
Platelets (*10^3/microliters) 150-450 192 141 120
ABO blood type
d-Dimer (ng/ml) Negative
Fibrinogen (mg/dl) Normal
Activated partial thromboplastin time (sec) 30-40 46 65 45
Prothrombin time (sec) 11-15
International normalized ratio 1 1.1 1
Venous blood gas
pH 7.36
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PCO2(mmHg) 44.1
PO2 (mmHg) 26.8
PHCO3 (mmol/l) 24.4
Hemogolobin(g/dl) 12.4
Biochemistry
Sodium (milieq/l) 135-145 140 138 142
Potassium (milieq/l) 3.5-5 4.9 4.7 4.2
Urea nitrogen (mg%) 6-22 20 26 23
Creatinine (mg%) 0.5-1.4 1.6 1.2 0.9
BS 230
Total bilirubin (mg/dl) Protein (g/dl)
Total 6.1-8.3 5.2
Phosphorus (mg/dl) 2.5-5 3.3
Magnesium (mg/dl) 1.8-2.6 2.1
Calcium (mg%) 8-10.6 8.7
Lactate dehydrogenase (iu/liter) Up to 480 504
Alkaline phosphatase (U/liter) 80-306 794 689 540
Aspartate aminotransferase (U/liter) 3-49 152 92 75
Alanine aminotransferase (U/liter) 3-46 145 92 74
Troponin I (ng/ml) Less Than 0.4 0.3 0.2 0.3
Pleural effusion Analysis
Glucose(mg/dl) 217
Protein(g/dl) 3.1
LDH(unit/l) 1917
RBC 100,000
WBC 600
PMN 90
Lymph 10
Urinalysis
pH 5 5
Specific gravity 1.030 1.015
Appearance Turbid Semi-Clear
Color Yellow Yellow
White Blood cells 10-12 4-6
Red Blood Cells 4-6 10-12
Nitrites Negative
Urobilinogen Negative Negative
Albumin Negative Negative
Glucose Negative Negative
Ketones Negative Negative
Blood Negative Negative
Bilirubin Negative Negative
Sediment (per high-power field) (mmol/liter) Negative Negative
Bacteria Negative Negative
White-cell casts Negative Negative
Squamous epithelial cells Negative Negative
Amorphous crystals Negative Negative
Urine Culture No Growth
Sputum Culture Staphsaprophiticus Negative
Galactomannan Less than 0.9 (Negative)
Stool Culture Negative
Stool Exam Normal
CRP Less than 10 Positive+++(107) Positive+++(77) Positive+++
Blood Culture No Growth No Growth
ESR
TIBC(mg/dl) 230-360 90 237
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HBS Antigen Negative
HCV Antibody Negative
Ferritin(ng/ml) 451
On 4th day of admission, dyspnea deteriorated and chest x-ray and chest CT demonstrated a pneumothorax in the right hemi thorax. [Fig2] Subsequently, a chest tube was inserted through his chest wall on the right side and dyspnea was approved dramatically.
Figure 2.Chest CT without contrast on the 4th day of admission showing right hemi thorax Pneumothorax As the patient’s fever did not decrease after 48 hours, blood samples were obtained for Cytomegalovirus (CMV), Interferon-Gamma release assays (IGRA), Galactomannan, and Colistin and antifungal agents replaced the previous regimen. Referring to the obtained results showing CMV infection, which could explain the fever and even pulmo- nary involvements in absence of a positive RT-PCR for COVID-19, Ganciclovir was added to his treatments.
Nevertheless, four days after insertion of the chest tube, dyspnea deteriorated again and the 3rd chest CT illustrated leftside pneumothorax. [Fig3] Although the second Chest tube was inserted immediately, and both chest tubes were working properly, no improvement was achieved in the volume of the Pneumothorax and O2 Saturation lev- el.Thoracic surgery department consultation advised to apply a Negative Pressure set up to reduce the Pneumothorax more effectively. It was also advised to utilizePigtail Catheterization in case of a persistent Pneumothorax. Eventual- ly,the Pneumothorax could not be controlled and he expired due to Bradycardia after 14 days of hospitalization.
Figure3. Chest CT without contrast showing bilateral Pneumothorax on the 8th day
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Conclusion
To summarize our report, delayed pneumothorax in individuals with history of COVID-19 infection may occur even in absence of positive RT-PCR for COVID-19. It can be whether a late sequel of the infection on injured lung tissues or an insidious parallel infection like CMV which can hit a susceptible person with inflamed pulmonary parenchyma receiving Immunosuppressive agents. Therefore, furthered studies are needed to have a better sight on the manifesta- tions of the new disease in order to take appropriate measurements to prevent lung tissue injury during involvement and spread of other infections as well.
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