Diffuse panbronchiolitis observed in an Italian male.

Abstract

We describe a case of a 43 year old man who presented with productive cough, dyspnea, severe obstructive ventilatory failure and diffuse micronodular shadows on chest roentgenogram. Bronchoalveolar lavage fluid analysis showed an increased total cellularity sustained by a huge neutrophilia. Sweat test was negative. Transbronchial lung biopsy and autopsy showed unit lesion of diffuse panbronchiolitis. This report represents, to the best of our knowledge, the first case of diffuse panbronchiolitis observed in Europe.