Extract
The spectrum of pulmonary disease caused by e-cigarette use is currently emerging and appears to be multifaceted [1]. We describe a patient who developed pathologically documented giant cell interstitial pneumonia following regular use of an e-cigarette. This disorder has been termed hard metal pneumoconiosis, or cobalt lung, due to its close association with exposure to hard metal (cemented tungsten carbide with cobalt) [2]. Analysis of the device's e-liquid revealed significant levels of cobalt, supporting a diagnosis of giant cell interstitial pneumonia associated with inhaled cobalt from regular e-cigarette use.
Abstract
An e-cigarette user developed giant cell interstitial pneumonia, a rare disease largely limited to work exposure to hard metals, including cobalt. Analysis of the e-liquid identified significant levels of cobalt, supporting the e-cigarette's causative role. http://bit.ly/2VRcT1U
Acknowledgement
We thank Sunita Ho and Misun Kang of the UCSF Biomaterial and Bioengineering Correlative Microscopy Core. The authors appreciate the critical and constructive comments of the reviewers. This case was alluded to in a recent correspondence (Henry TS, Kanne JP, Kligerman SJ. Imaging of vaping-associated lung disease. N Engl J Med 2019; 381: 1486–1487).
Footnotes
Conflict of interest: D.R. Fels Elliott has nothing to disclose.
Conflict of interest: R. Shah has nothing to disclose.
Conflict of interest: C.A. Hess has nothing to disclose.
Conflict of interest: B. Elicker has nothing to disclose.
Conflict of interest: T.S. Henry has nothing to disclose.
Conflict of interest: A.M. Rule has nothing to disclose.
Conflict of interest: R. Chen has nothing to disclose.
Conflict of interest: M. Golozar has nothing to disclose.
Conflict of interest: K.D. Jones has nothing to disclose.
- Received September 27, 2019.
- Accepted October 16, 2019.
- Copyright ©ERS 2019
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