Case report of acute respiratory failure from lipoid pneumonia after THC vape cartridge use
A 28-year-old previously healthy man developed acute respiratory failure from lipoid pneumonia two weeks after starting a street-purchased THC vape cartridge, diagnosed by bronchoalveolar lavage.
Quick Facts
What This Study Found
A healthy 28-year-old developed acute respiratory failure 2 weeks after using a street-purchased THC vape cartridge. BAL with oil red O staining confirmed acute exogenous lipoid pneumonia. Diffuse alveolar hemorrhage and eosinophilic pneumonia were excluded. IV corticosteroids led to survival and discharge.
Key Numbers
1 case: 28-year-old male; acute respiratory failure 2 weeks after starting street THC vape cartridge. Oil red O staining confirmed lipoid pneumonia. All 6 reported cases (including prior 5) survived with IV corticosteroids.
How They Did This
Case report with diagnostic workup including bronchoscopy, BAL cytology with oil red O staining, and imaging. Reviewed alongside 5 previously reported cases.
Why This Research Matters
This case contributed to the evolving recognition of EVALI during the 2019 outbreak, confirming that THC-containing vape oils can cause acute lipoid pneumonia requiring ICU-level care.
The Bigger Picture
This case was part of the wave of EVALI recognition in 2019 that ultimately led to vitamin E acetate being identified as the primary causative agent in illicit THC vape products.
What This Study Doesn't Tell Us
Single case report; cannot determine which specific component of the vape product caused the lung injury; no product testing performed.
Questions This Raises
- ?Which lipid component in the vape oil caused the pneumonia?
- ?Would earlier recognition of this pattern have prevented some EVALI cases?
Trust & Context
- Key Stat:
- All 6 reported cases of THC vape-induced lipoid pneumonia survived with corticosteroids
- Evidence Grade:
- Single case report contributing to early recognition of the EVALI outbreak.
- Study Age:
- Published in 2020.
- Original Title:
- Vaping-Associated Acute Respiratory Failure Due to Acute Lipoid Pneumonia.
- Published In:
- Lung, 198(1), 31-33 (2020)
- Database ID:
- RTHC-02518
Evidence Hierarchy
Describes what happened to one person or a small group.
What do these levels mean? →Frequently Asked Questions
What is lipoid pneumonia?
Lipoid pneumonia occurs when oil or fat-based substances enter the lungs and cause inflammation. In this case, inhaling THC-containing vape oil introduced lipid material directly into the lungs, triggering acute respiratory failure.
Is all THC vaping dangerous?
This case involved a street-purchased THC vape cartridge, which are often made with unregulated additives. The EVALI outbreak was primarily linked to illicit products containing vitamin E acetate as a cutting agent, not regulated cannabis vaping products.
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Cite This Study
https://rethinkthc.com/research/RTHC-02518APA
Dicpinigaitis, Peter V; Trachuk, Polina; Fakier, Feizal; Teka, Mestawet; Suhrland, Mark J. (2020). Vaping-Associated Acute Respiratory Failure Due to Acute Lipoid Pneumonia.. Lung, 198(1), 31-33. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00408-019-00277-6
MLA
Dicpinigaitis, Peter V, et al. "Vaping-Associated Acute Respiratory Failure Due to Acute Lipoid Pneumonia.." Lung, 2020. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00408-019-00277-6
RethinkTHC
RethinkTHC Research Database. "Vaping-Associated Acute Respiratory Failure Due to Acute Lip..." RTHC-02518. Retrieved from https://rethinkthc.com/research/dicpinigaitis-2020-vapingassociated-acute-respiratory-failure
Access the Original Study
Study data sourced from PubMed, a service of the U.S. National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of Health.
This study breakdown was produced by the RethinkTHC research team. We analyze and report published research findings without making health recommendations. All interpretations are based solely on the published abstract and study data.