Diffuse alveolar haemorrhage: a rare complication of clopidogrel use.

Rachelle Soriano, Saud Al-Rawaf, Khalil Diab

BMJ case reports 2021 Aug 09

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Diffuse alveolar haemorrhage (DAH) has been reported as a rare complication of clopidogrel use and is usually a diagnosis of exclusion. We describe the case of an 88-year-old Native American woman who presented with acute hypoxic respiratory failure with CT scan of the chest showing diffuse bilateral ground-glass opacities. She had been on clopidogrel for 6 months for a carotid artery stent. Bronchoscopy with bronchoalveolar lavage and transbronchial biopsies revealed DAH. Infectious and autoimmune work-up were all negative. Clopidogrel was stopped and high-dose steroids were started. Her symptoms gradually improved until she was discharged from the hospital. The differential DAH is broad. Anticoagulant-induced DAH should be part of the differential diagnosis, and is usually a diagnosis of exclusion. © BMJ Publishing Group Limited 2021. No commercial re-use. See rights and permissions. Published by BMJ.

Citation

Rachelle Soriano, Saud Al-Rawaf, Khalil Diab. Diffuse alveolar haemorrhage: a rare complication of clopidogrel use. BMJ case reports. 2021 Aug 09;14(8)