A 19-year-old male presents to the emergency department with acute onset of breathlessness. He was feeling short of breath for the last few weeks, but it was not that severe. He denies any chest pain or cough. He is a non-smoker and non-alcoholic. His father has asthma. His respiratory rate is 22/min and pulse rate is 98/min. There is diffuse wheezing all over the lung fields. PEFR is 230 L/min, and this improves markedly after bronchodilator therapy. Which of the following is the most frequent cause of this disorder?

Question

A 19-year-old male presents to the emergency department with acute onset of breathlessness.  He was feeling short of breath for the last few weeks, but it was not that severe.  He denies any chest pain or cough.  He is a non-smoker and non-alcoholic.  His father has asthma. His respiratory rate is 22/min and pulse rate is 98/min.  There is diffuse wheezing all over the lung fields.  PEFR is 230 L/min, and this improves markedly after bronchodilator therapy.  Which of the following is the most frequent cause of this disorder?

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Explanation: The above patient is suffering from asthma. Allergens that may be responsible for asthma include house dust mite allergens, cat allergens, dog allergens, and cockroach allergens. Of all the aforementioned allergens, house dust mites have the strongest association with asthma; these may be responsible for 60-90% cases of asthma. (Choice E)Although lung disease is associated with air pollution, there is no documented evidence of the association of asthma with air pollution. Educational objective: The allergen most frequently associated with asthma is house dust mites.

A 19-Year-Old Male Presents to the Emergency Department with Acute