Skin Rash and Interstitial Pneumonia Can Be a Fatal Combination: A Rare Case of Anti-Melanoma Differentiation-Associated Gene 5 (MDA5)-Associated Interstitial Lung Disease

  • Giorgia Borio Emergency Department, Guglielmo da Saliceto Hospital, Piacenza, Italy
  • Chiara Terracciano Neurology Unit, Guglielmo da Saliceto Hospital, Piacenza, Italy
  • Federico Buttafava Intensive Care Unit, IRCCS San Matteo di Pavia, Italy
  • Andrea Vercelli Emergency Department, Guglielmo da Saliceto Hospital, Piacenza, Italy
  • Laura Pagani Emergency Department, Guglielmo da Saliceto Hospital, Piacenza, Italy
  • Chiara Zanzani Intensive Care Unit, Guglielmo da Saliceto Hospital, Piacenza, Italy
  • Alessandra Manicardi Intensive Care Unit, Guglielmo da Saliceto Hospital, Piacenza, Italy
  • Andrea Magnacavallo Emergency Department, Guglielmo da Saliceto Hospital, Piacenza, Italy
  • Erika Poggiali Emergency Department, Guglielmo da Saliceto Hospital, Piacenza, Italy
DOI: https://doi.org/10.12890/2021_002860

Keywords

MDA5-associated dermatomyositis, MDA5-associated interstitial lung disease, interstitial pneumonia, dyspnoea

Abstract

We report the case of a 62-year-old male patient fully vaccinated for COVID-19, admitted to our emergency room for persistent fever associated with exertional dyspnoea, skin lesions, diffuse myalgias and arthralgias not responsive to broad-spectrum antibiotic and antiviral therapy, who developed a rapidly progressive refractory to treatment interstitial lung disease due to anti-melanoma differentiation-associated gene 5 (MDA5) antibodies, that required mechanical ventilation and ECMO. Here, we highlight the importance of always considering alternative diagnoses, i.e. viral and autoimmune diseases, including anti-MDA5 antibody screening, when dealing with patients with a skin rash, seronegative polyarthralgias and interstitial pneumonia, or acute respiratory distress syndrome of unknown origin.

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    • Published: 2021-10-18

    Issue: 2021: Vol 8 No 10 (view)

    Section: Articles

    How to cite:
    1.
    Borio G, Terracciano C, Buttafava F, Vercelli A, Pagani L, Zanzani C, Manicardi A, Magnacavallo A, Poggiali E. Skin Rash and Interstitial Pneumonia Can Be a Fatal Combination: A Rare Case of Anti-Melanoma Differentiation-Associated Gene 5 (MDA5)-Associated Interstitial Lung Disease. EJCRIM 2021;8 doi:10.12890/2021_002860.

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