Dyspnea, Fever, Chest pain, Cough, and Cyanosis or Clubbing

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Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]; Associate Editor(s)-in-Chief: Eiman Ghaffarpasand, M.D. [2]


Abbreviations: ABG (arterial blood gas); ACE (angiotensin converting enzyme); BMI (body mass index); CBC (complete blood count); CSF (cerebrospinal fluid); CXR (chest X-ray); ECG (electrocardiogram); FEF (forced expiratory flow rate); FEV1 (forced expiratory volume); FVC (forced vital capacity); JVD (jugular vein distention); MCV (mean corpuscular volume); Plt (platelet); RV (residual volume); SIADH (syndrome of inappropriate antidiuretic hormone); TSH (thyroid stimulating hormone); Vt (tidal volume); WBC (white blood cell);

Organ system Diseases Clinical manifestations Diagnosis Other features
Symptoms Physical exam
Loss of consciousness Agitation Weight loss Fever Chest pain Cough Cyanosis Clubbing JVD Peripheral edema Auscultation CBC ABG Imaging Spirometry Gold standard
Acute Dyspnea Respiratory system Chest and Pleura,

Lower airway

COPD exacerbation[1] - + - + + + + +/- +/- +/- Wheeze, Rhonchi, and Crackles WBC, ↑RBC Respiratory alkalosis Hyperexpansion FEV1/FVC Clinical assessment Acute exacerbations of chronic bronchitis (AECB)
Lung carcinoma[2] - - + +/- +/- + + + - - Wheeze and Crackles Normal Normal Mass lesion, hilar lymphadenopathy Vt, ↑RV Bronchoscopy  Paraneoplastic syndromes, such as SIADH and lambert-Eaton
Pneumonia[3] - - - + + + +/- - - - Wheeze, Rhonchi, and Crackles WBC, neutrophilia Normal Lobar consolidation Normal Chest X-ray and CT Scan productive cough
Cardiovascular system Acute heart failure[4] +/- + - +/- +/- + + - + + S3 Normal Respiratory alkalosis Cardiothoracic ratio Vt B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP) and N-terminal proBNP (NT-proBNP) Excessive sweating, high blood pressure
Pulmonary edema[5] +/- + - + + + + + + + Basal crackle Normal Respiratory alkalosis Bat wing pattern, air bronchograms Vt, ↑RV Cardiac Catheterization Tachypnea
Toxic/Metabolic Carbon monoxide poisoning[6] + - - +/- + + + - - - Wheeze Carboxyhemoglobin O2, ↑CO2 Normal N/A Carboxyhemoglobin (HbCO) level Headache, Dizziness, Weakness, Vomiting, Confusion
Chronic Dyspnea Respiratory system Head and Neck,

Upper airway

Tracheal stenosis[7] - - - - +/- +/- + + - - Stridor, Stertorous Normal O2, ↑CO2 Soft tissue thickening internal to normal-appearing tracheal cartilage Normal Bronchoscopy Respiratory distress
Chest and Pleura,

Lower airway

Bronchial asthma[8] - + +/- - +/- + + + - - Wheeze Eosinophil Respiratory alkalosis, Metabolic acidosis Pulmonary hyperinflation,

Bronchial wall thickening

FEV1/FVC Spirometry before and after bronchodilator Paroxysmal respiratory distress
Bronchiectasis[9] - - - + + + + + - - Rhonchi, Wheezing, Crackles WBC, neutrophilia O2, ↑CO2 Tram-track opacities FEV1/FVC High resolution computed tomography (HRCT) Chronic productive cough
Pulmonary hypertension[10] - - - - +/- +/- +/- +/- + + Accentuated S2 Normal Hypoxia and acidosis Enlarged pulmonary arteries Physiologic RV Cardiac catheterization Syncope,

Ascites, Pleural effusion

Interstitial lung disease[11] - - - +/- + + + + - - Rhonchi, Wheezing, Crackles Normal O2, ↑CO2 Peripheral pulmonary infiltrative opacification FEV1/FVC High resolution computed tomography (HRCT) Pneumoconiosis
Sarcoidosis[12] - - +/- +/- +/- + + - - - Crackles Normal O2, ↑CO2 Hilar adenopathy FEV1/FVC High resolution computed tomography (HRCT) Hypercalcemia, high ACE
Bronchiolitis obliterans[13] - - - + + + + + - - Expiratory wheeze WBC O2, ↑CO2 Hyperinflation, Reticulonodular opacities FEV1/FVC Lung biopsy Complication of allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation
Cystic fibrosis[14] - - + + - +/- + + - - Rhonchi, Wheezing, Crackles Normal Metabolic alkalosis Thick-walled bronchiectasis FEF75%/FVC Sweat test Absent vas deferens
Pulmonary right-to-left shunt[15] - - - - +/- + + + - - Diminished breath sounds Normal O2, ↑CO2, Respiratory acidosis Normal Vt, ↑RV

(physiological)

Pulmonary CT angiography Chronic hypoxemia
Diaphragmatic paralysis[16] - - - +/- +/- +/- - - - - Normal Normal Normal Unilateral or bilateral diaphragmatic flattening Vt, ↑RV

(anatomical)

CXR confirmed by fluoroscopic sniff test Respiratory insufficiency
Tuberculosis[17] - - + + + + +/- - - - Rhonchi, Wheezing, Crackles WBC O2, ↑CO2 Patchy consolidation or poorly defined linear and nodular opacities Restrictive, obstructive, or mixed IFN-γ release assay (IGRA)

Acid-fast staining

Night sweat

References

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