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Case Reports
. 2021 Jun;5(3):682-687.
doi: 10.1016/j.mayocpiqo.2021.03.002. Epub 2021 Mar 29.

EVALI: A Mimicker of COVID-19

Mitchell M Pitlick  1 , Daenielle K Lang  1 , Anne M Meehan  2 , Christopher P McCoy  2
Affiliations
Case Reports

EVALI: A Mimicker of COVID-19

Mitchell M Pitlick et al. Mayo Clin Proc Innov Qual Outcomes. 2021 Jun.

Abstract

E-cigarette or vaping product use-associated lung injury (EVALI) is a respiratory illness that has significant overlap with the symptoms of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). In the current pandemic, diagnosis of EVALI may be delayed because of anchoring bias when patients present with symptoms consistent with COVID-19. We present 3 cases of patients who were hospitalized with a presumed diagnosis of COVID-19 but were later diagnosed with EVALI.

Keywords: COVID-19, coronavirus disease 2019; CRP, C-reactive protein; CT, computed tomography; EVALI, e-cigarette or vaping product use–associated lung injury; IV, intravenous; PCR, polymerase chain reaction; SARS-CoV-2, severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2.

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Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Computed tomography scan from case 1 demonstrating bilateral ill-defined ground-glass opacities with a midlung predominance and interlobular septal thickening.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Computed tomography scan from case 2 showing extensive bilateral ground-glass opacities with a predominantly central distribution.
Figure 3
Figure 3
Computed tomography scan from case 3 showing diffuse bilateral ground-glass opacities with subpleural sparing.
Figure 4
Figure 4
Computed tomography scan from a patient with COVID-19 demonstrating multifocal peripheral ground-glass opacities with central sparing.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

References

    1. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Outbreak of lung injury associated with the use of e-cigarette, or vaping, products. www.cdc.gov/tobacco/basic_information/e-cigarettes/severe-lung-disease.html Published February 25, 2020.
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    1. Johns Hopkins University Coronavirus Resource Center. https://coronavirus.jhu.edu/us-map

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