Chest
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A 65-year-old woman was referred for a second opinion regarding a 7-month history of a persistent, progressive, nonproductive cough. Her cough occurred several times a minute, causing a significant impact on her daily activities. She denied fever, chills, weight loss, chest pain, wheezing, symptoms of gastroesophageal reflux, or postnasal drip. ⋯ She denied any occupational or environmental exposures. She was previously treated with a short-acting β-agonist, inhaled corticosteroid/long-acting β-agonist, montelukast, nasal steroids, a proton pump inhibitor, gabapentin, and azithromycin without relief. She also received codeine, which provided mild relief.
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A previously healthy 57-year-old man presented to the ED with altered mental status and severe shortness of breath. He was found to be in acute hypercapnic respiratory failure and required admission to the ICU. He reported the following: a 4-month history of progressive shortness of breath; left-sided chest pain; cough productive of brown, foul-smelling sputum; and weight loss. ⋯ His last visit to Ethiopia was in 2009, and he denied any other recent travel or exposure to TB. There was no history to suggest immune compromise. He had not seen a physician in many years and never established medical care in the United States.
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Editorial Comment Case Reports
The Curious Case of Cough in Interstitial Lung Diseases.