Crohn’s disease-associated interstitial lung disease mimicking sarcoidosis: a case report and review of the literature

Crohn’s disease-associated interstitial lung disease mimicking sarcoidosis: a case report and review of the literature

Authors

  • Choua Thao University of Utah
  • Amir Lagstein University of Michigan
  • Tadashi Allen University of Minnesota
  • Huseyin Erhan Dincer University of Minnesota
  • Hyun Joo Kim University of Minnesota

Keywords:

Interstitial lung disease, Crohns disease, Sarcoidosis, Cryoprobe lung biopsy.

Abstract

Respiratory involvement in Crohn’s disease (CD) is a rare manifestation known to involve the large and small airways, lung parenchyma, and pleura. The clinical presentation is nonspecific, and diagnostic tests can mimic other pulmonary diseases, posing a diagnostic challenge and delay in treatment. We report a case of a 60-year-old female with a history of CD and psoriatic arthritis who presented with dyspnea, fever, and cough with abnormal radiological findings. Diagnostic testing revealed an elevated CD4:CD8 ratio in the bronchoalveolar lavage fluid, and cryoprobe lung biopsy results showed non-necrotizing granulomatous inflammation. We describe here the second reported case of pulmonary involvement mimicking sarcoidosis in Crohn’s disease and a review of the literature on the approaches to making a diagnosis of CD-associated interstitial lung disease. 

Author Biographies

Choua Thao, University of Utah

Department of Medicine

Amir Lagstein, University of Michigan

Department of Pathology

Tadashi Allen, University of Minnesota

Department of Radiology

Huseyin Erhan Dincer, University of Minnesota

Department of Medicine

Hyun Joo Kim, University of Minnesota

Department of Medicine

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Published

07-10-2016

Issue

Section

Case Reports

How to Cite

1.
Thao C, Lagstein A, Allen T, Dincer HE, Kim HJ. Crohn’s disease-associated interstitial lung disease mimicking sarcoidosis: a case report and review of the literature. Sarcoidosis Vasc Diffuse Lung Dis [Internet]. 2016 Oct. 7 [cited 2025 May 19];33(3):288-91. Available from: https://mattioli1885journals.com/index.php/sarcoidosis/article/view/4549