Respiratory disease
Case 14: A Man with Gradual‐Onset Breathlessness
CASE
A 75‐year‐old man presents with gradual‐onset breathlessness over a period of 18 months. His exercise capacity has reduced from unlimited to 400 m on the flat before becoming breathless. There is no history of chest pain, nocturnal dyspnoea, orthopnoea or ankle swelling. He is an ex‐smoker, keeps no pets and worked as a self‐employed builder.
On examination he is clubbed. There is no peripheral lymphadenopathy. There are fine bibasal, inspiratory crackles extending into the axillae. Lung function testing reveals an FEV1 (forced expiratory volume in 1 s) of 1.8L (62% predicted) and FVC (forced vital capacity) of 1.9L (50% predicted). A chest X‐ray reveals bilateral reticular change.
QUESTION 1
Your score this session: 0 of 0
Which of the following statements is true?