Life-Threatening Bronchospasm

Abstract

While Eosinophilic Asthma is frequently underdiagnosed, COPD is often misdiagnosed. This case focusses on a COPD misdiagnosis that had life-threatening consequences. The patient was a 59-year-old, male smoker, who presented to the Emergency Department with a week's history of increasing shortness of breath. On presentation, severe respiratory acidosis persisted acidotic despite Nebulisers, Oxygen, Steroids, and Magnesium. He was intubated for two weeks and had severe bronchospasm associated with type 2 respiratory failure. Eosinophils on admission were markedly elevated and remained so despite a week of intravenous steroids. As he missed the window for ECMO, we were advised to look at his diagnostic spirometry. Surprisingly, the spirometry done by his general practitioner, two years prior, showed Asthma not COPD. His blood eosinophils were elevated then, too. A revised diagnosis of Eosinophilic Asthma was given. Intravenous steroids were increased, and nebulised steroids were started. Soon thereafter, his condition improved, and he was stepped down from Intensive care. Hopefully, this case report increases physician knowledge of the different Asthma phenotypes and reduces incidences where correct treatment is only started during an avoidable life-threatening exacerbation.

Keywords: COPD; Eosinophilic asthma; bronchospasm.