November 2013 Pulmonary Case of the Month: Dalmatian Lungs

Lewis J. Wesselius, MD 

Department of Pulmonary Medicine

Mayo Clinic Arizona

Scottsdale, AZ

History of Present Illness

A 36 year old woman was referred to the pulmonary clinic at Mayo Clinic Arizona. In early May 2013 she developed headache and blurred vision. She was referred to a neuroopthalmologist who diagnosed a 6th cranial nerve palsy. She had a brain MRI and lumbar puncture (LP). Both were reported as normal. She was treated with corticosteroids and improved.

She was tapered off prednisone in late May and developed discomfort in her left ear with hearing loss and tinnitus.  Some left facial asymmetry was noted.

She was treated with intra-tympanic steroid injections as well as oral steroids with some improvement. Her last dose of corticosteroids was 3 weeks prior to being seen.

At the beginning of August she developed speech and swallowing difficulties and was neurologically diagnosed with palsies in 4th, 6th, 8th, 9th, 10th and 11th cranial nerves. Other symptoms included photophobia and a non-productive cough. Two additional LPs were reported to be normal.

PMH, SH, FH

She had cervical cancer with a cone biopsy 2006 and right arthroscopic shoulder surgery. She is a nonsmoker who is a field engineer for a medical device company. She travels throughout the US extensively. There is no significant family history.

Medications

• Zolpidem 
• Vitamin B and D
• Herbal remedy immunotox

Physical Examination

On neurologic exam she had blurred vision with left gaze and facial asymmetry.

Otherwise, the physical exam was unremarkable.

Laboratory

Her complete blood count (CBC) and erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) were within normal limits.

At this point which of the following are diagnostic tests that should be ordered?

1. Anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic antibody (ANCA)
2. Coccidiomycosis serology
3. Lyme disease serology
4. Serum angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE)
5. All of the above

Reference as: Wesselius LJ. November 2013 pulmonary case of the month: dalmatian lungs. Southwest J Pulm Crit Care. 2013;7(5):271-8. doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.13175/swjpcc130-13 PDF