Dyspnea is a Conundrum in the COVID-19 Era - A Case Report

Background: In the COVID-19 era, a simple dyspnea can raise diagnostic uncertainties especially when presented with patients with underlying interstitial lung disease or congestive cardiac failure which can both present clinically and radiologically similar to COVID-19 pneumonitis. Moreover, such co-morbidities have an increasingly poorer outcome when associated with SARS-CoV-2 infection. Case Report: An 85-year-old lady presented with dyspnea a week after being treating for chest infection by general practitioner. Chest X-rays and CTPA showed bilateral airspace opacifications with organizing pattern and SARS-CoV-2 was not detected on three PCR swabs. She was managed with diuretics, antimicrobials, steroids, oxygen and non-invasive ventilation. Conclusion: An acute exacerbation of ILD, decompensated CCF and CT findings of an organizing pneumonia pattern, raises the possibility of previous SARS-CoV-2 infection being the trigger for the patient’s presentation. Nasal swabs only detect viral shedding, but not the pending cytokine storm thereby posing diagnostical difficulties.