A Case of Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome in a Young Athlete

A case of a 26-year-old patient hospitalized with acute respiratory failure is presented. Clinical, laboratory, and radiological diagnostic (radiography, chest contrast-enhanced computed tomography, echocardiography) data were analyzed. Computed tomography revealed diffuse ground-glass opacities in the lungs, characteristic of diffuse alveolar damage. Acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) secondary to fat embolism following intramuscular injection of an anabolic steroid with intravascular entry was diagnosed. Respiratory support and corticosteroid therapy were administered with positive dynamics. This observation demonstrates a rare cause of ARDS, which requires awareness among radiologists, pulmonologists, and intensivists.