Asthma is not the only cause for cough in this case
A patient’s indolent symptoms point to an unexpected comorbid respiratory diagnosis
Meilin, a 22-year-old woman, has a five-month history of a productive cough and lethargy, which worsened recently during a family trip to China.
A sudden onset of fever and night sweats brings her to the ED concerned about her worsening symptoms.
Other than a history of moderate asthma, diagnosed in childhood, she is well, with no past medical history of note.
Her asthma is typically well controlled with a regular low-dose inhaled corticosteroid and short-acting beta agonist. She has no history of previous hospitalisations due to asthma.
