[A young lady with shortness of breath during the coronavirus crisis].

Zijtregtop, E A M; Dors, N; Bakker, H; Klasen, L D; Oegema, S; Beishuizen, A

A 16-year-old girl repeatedly visited a general practitioner during the coronavirus pandemic for progressive shortness of breath. Progressive orthopnoea was found as well. Her neck was swollen for two weeks and there was generalised itching for months. Given the nature of her symptoms, she was assessed at the coronavirus station. A diagnosis of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) was assumed. Due to limited testing capacity, the diagnosis was not confirmed. She was treated with supportive treatment that had no effect on her dyspnoea. Tunnel vision ensured that the symptoms that did not fit COVID-19, were not recognised. Moreover, a scheduled ultrasound of her neck was cancelled because of the coronavirus restrictions, which did not help matters. She was eventually admitted to the paediatric intensive care unit with respiratory failure associated with cervical and mediastinal Hodgkin lymphoma.