A case of Löfgren's syndrome confused with decompression sickness

Diving Hyperb Med. 2019 Dec 20;49(4):306-310. doi: 10.28920/dhm49.4.306-310.

Abstract

A broad differential diagnosis is important to provide appropriate care. This may be challenging for conditions like decompression sickness (DCS) which can be easily confused with other conditions. In suspected DCS, treatment may be an important part of the diagnosis. An improvement in symptoms after hyperbaric oxygen treatment (HBOT) is consistent with a DCS event. However, HBOT may also impact symptoms in other conditions, including Löfgren's syndrome (LS). LS, a poorly understood, clinically distinct phenotype of sarcoidosis, is a complex, multi-system granulomatous inflammatory condition. Like DCS, LS symptoms are heterogeneous and idiosyncratic. We report on a patient initially diagnosed with DCS who presented new symptoms suggestive of LS after HBOT.

Keywords: Differential diagnosis; Hyperbaric oxygen; Mycobacterium marinum infection; Pulmonary sarcoidosis.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Decompression Sickness* / diagnosis
  • Diagnosis, Differential
  • Humans
  • Sarcoidosis* / diagnosis
  • Syndrome