Pulmonary changes seen after the smoking of crack cocaine:
(1) thermal injury to the bronchial tree
(2) inhalation of smoke debris
(3) exacerbation of asthma
(4) sarcoid-like noncaseating granulomas
(5) alveolar hemorrhage with hemoptysis
(6) pulmonary vascular disease with infarction
(7) pneumothorax and/or pneumomediastinum and/or pneumopericardium (barotrauma)
(8) bronciolitis obliterans with organizing pneumonia
(9) hypersensitivity pneumonitis
(10) non-cardiogenic pulmonary edema
(11) eosinophilic lung disease
(12) interstitial pneumonitis
(13) persistent abnormalities in gas exchange and pulmonary function
(14) acute lung injury
Risk factors for pulmonary complications:
(1) impure preparation
(2) pre-existing asthma
(3) pre-existing or concurrent lung disease
(4) heavy use of crack cocaine
(5) smoking other drugs of abuse
(6) cigarette smoking
Clinical features of "crack lung" syndrome:
(1) cough
(2) absent or low grade fever
(3) dyspnea
(4) hypoxemia
(5) pulmonary infiltrate on chest X-ray
(6) clinical improvement after corticosteroid therapy
