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Case Reports
. 2015 Mar-Apr;22(2):77-9.
doi: 10.1155/2015/263969.

A severe complication of crack cocaine use

Gokul Vidyasankar, Carolina Souza, Chi Lai, Sunita Mulpuru
Case Reports

A severe complication of crack cocaine use

Gokul Vidyasankar et al. Can Respir J. 2015 Mar-Apr.

Abstract
in English, French

The present report describes a 48-year-old woman with a history of recurrent 'crack' cocaine use, who developed progressive shortness of breath over a period of years. Serial imaging revealed progressive interstitial fibrosis secondary to recurrent alveolar hemorrhage and inflammation from crack cocaine. The present case serves as a reminder of the numerous sequelae of crack cocaine use, highlighting one particularly severe outcome.

Le présent rapport décrit le cas d’une femme de 48 ans ayant une histoire de consommation récurrente de crack, atteinte d’un essoufflement chronique qui s’est détérioré sur plusieurs années. L’imagerie sérielle a révélé une fibrose interstitielle progressive secondaire à une hémorragie alvéolaire récurrente et à une inflammation causée par le crack. Ce cas rappelle les nombreuses séquelles de la consommation de crack et en fait ressortir une conséquence particulièrement grave.

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Figures

Figure 1)
Figure 1)
Chest computed tomography at initial presentation demonstrating bilateral symmetrical airspace disease in a predominant central distribution with multiple acinar opacities and centrilobular nodules in the right lower lobe
Figure 2)
Figure 2)
Mild peribronchiolar chronic inflammation and scattered foci of organizing pneumonia (circle) (hematoxylin and eosin stain, original magnification × 40)
Figure 3)
Figure 3)
Chest computed tomography three years after initial presentation demonstrating bilateral diffuse ground-glass and peripheral reticular opacities. The presence of reticulation and traction bronchiolectasis (arrows) indicates early interstitial fibrosis
Figure 4)
Figure 4)
Chest computed tomography scan 10 years after initial presentation demonstrating diffuse coarse reticular opacities with minimal ground-glass opacities, traction bronchiectasis (arrow) and early honeycombing formation (arrowhead), compatible with severe interstitial fibrosis
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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