EVALI: A Mimicker of COVID-19

Mitchell M Pitlick; Daenielle K Lang; Anne M Meehan; Christopher P McCoy

doi:10.1016/j.mayocpiqo.2021.03.002

EVALI: A Mimicker of COVID-19

Mayo Clin Proc Innov Qual Outcomes. 2021 Jun;5(3):682-687. doi: 10.1016/j.mayocpiqo.2021.03.002. Epub 2021 Mar 29.

Authors

Mitchell M Pitlick¹, Daenielle K Lang¹, Anne M Meehan², Christopher P McCoy²

Affiliations

¹ Department of Internal Medicine, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN.
² Division of Hospital Internal Medicine, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN.

Abstract

E-cigarette or vaping product use-associated lung injury (EVALI) is a respiratory illness that has significant overlap with the symptoms of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). In the current pandemic, diagnosis of EVALI may be delayed because of anchoring bias when patients present with symptoms consistent with COVID-19. We present 3 cases of patients who were hospitalized with a presumed diagnosis of COVID-19 but were later diagnosed with EVALI.

Keywords: COVID-19, coronavirus disease 2019; CRP, C-reactive protein; CT, computed tomography; EVALI, e-cigarette or vaping product use–associated lung injury; IV, intravenous; PCR, polymerase chain reaction; SARS-CoV-2, severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2.

Publication types

Case Reports