Bronchiolitis in Adult
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Synopsis

Bronchiolitis is characterized by inflammatory injury of the small airways with interstitial sparing. Injury is nonspecific and can be caused by infections, irritants, toxic fumes, drug exposures, pneumonitides, connective tissue disorders, vasculitides, or in some cases remains idiopathic. Acute bronchitis due to infection or toxic inhalation is rare in adults and more commonly occurs in children.
Bronchiolitis should be suspected in an adult of any age with insidious onset (weeks to months) of nonproductive cough and dyspnea. High-resolution CT scan (HRCT) is the radiographic study of choice for diagnosis, although lung biopsy may be required in some cases. Treatment options are usually aimed at controlling symptoms, and care is often coordinated with a pulmonologist.
Etiologies include bronchiolitis obliterans or bronchiolitis obliterans syndrome, constrictive bronchiolitis, proliferative bronchiolitis, and cellular bronchiolitis.
Bronchiolitis should be suspected in an adult of any age with insidious onset (weeks to months) of nonproductive cough and dyspnea. High-resolution CT scan (HRCT) is the radiographic study of choice for diagnosis, although lung biopsy may be required in some cases. Treatment options are usually aimed at controlling symptoms, and care is often coordinated with a pulmonologist.
Etiologies include bronchiolitis obliterans or bronchiolitis obliterans syndrome, constrictive bronchiolitis, proliferative bronchiolitis, and cellular bronchiolitis.
Codes
ICD10CM:
J21.9 – Acute bronchiolitis, unspecified
SNOMEDCT:
4120002 – Bronchiolitis
J21.9 – Acute bronchiolitis, unspecified
SNOMEDCT:
4120002 – Bronchiolitis
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Diagnostic Pearls
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Differential Diagnosis & Pitfalls
- Chronic bronchitis
- Asthma
- Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
- Pneumonia
- Hypersensitivity pneumonitis
- Sarcoidosis
- Bronchocentric granulomatosis
- Bronchiectasis
- Cryptogenic organizing pneumonia
- Diffuse idiopathic pulmonary neuroendocrine cell hyperplasia
- Hypereosinophilic obliterative bronchiolitis
Best Tests
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Management Pearls
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Therapy
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Drug Reaction Data
Below is a list of drugs with literature evidence indicating an adverse association with this diagnosis. The list is continually updated through ongoing research and new medication approvals. Click on Citations to sort by number of citations or click on Medication to sort the medications alphabetically.
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References
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Last Reviewed:03/18/2018
Last Updated:04/17/2018
Last Updated:04/17/2018