Granulomatosis with Polyangiitis Presenting as Refractory Chronic Cough, Manifesting by Massive Alveolar Haemorrhage – A Rare Case Report

• Main Authors: Al Zaidi A, Al Zahrani AM, Alzahrani Z
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Dove Medical Press 2021-09-01
• Series: International Medical Case Reports Journal
• Subjects: respiratory; cough; haemoptysis; immune; polyangiitis
• Online Access: https://www.dovepress.com/granulomatosis-with-polyangiitis-presenting-as-refractory-chronic-coug-peer-reviewed-fulltext-article-IMCRJ

Areej Al Zaidi,1 Abdullah M Al Zahrani,2 Zeyad Alzahrani3 1Family Medicine Department, King Abdulaziz Medical City, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia; 2Family Medicine Department, King Abdulaziz Medical City, King Saud Bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences, King Abdullah International Medical Research Center, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia; 3Internal Medicine Rheumatology Department, King Abdulaziz Medical City, King Saud Bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences, King Abdullah International Medical Research Center, Jeddah, Saudi ArabiaCorrespondence: Areej Al Zaidi Tel [phone]Email [e-mail]: Granulomatosis with polyangiitis, or Wegener granulomatosis, is a rare systemic vasculitis that can affect any organ. The lungs and kidneys are almost always affected. We present a 36-year-old Saudi man who presented with chronic cough, haemoptysis and intermittent dyspnoea. He had been repeatedly misdiagnosed as having respiratory infection and had received multiple courses of antibiotics with little improvement. He responded dramatically to treatment with corticosteroid pulse therapy, plasmapheresis, and rituximab. There are very few reports of granulomatosis with polyangiitis from Saudi Arabia, and the prevalence of the condition is not known. A high index of suspicion can help avoid delayed diagnosis.Keywords: respiratory, cough, haemoptysis, immune, polyangiitis