Mysterious vaping illness characterized by fat-laden cells in the lung

INA - University of Utah

Doctors have identified a previously unrecognized characteristic of the vaping-related respiratory illness that has been emerging in clusters across the U.S. in recent months.

Within the lungs of these patients are large immune cells containing numerous oily droplets, called lipid-laden macrophages.

The finding may allow doctors to definitively diagnose the nascent syndrome more quickly and provide the right treatment sooner.

It could also provide clues into the causes of the new and mysterious condition. Investigators at University of Utah Health reported the findings in a letter published in the New England Journal of Medicine.