Unilateral pulmonary edema in a 29-year-old man visiting high altitude.

A 29-year-old white man presented with a 2-day history of progressive dyspnea and chest tightness. He was from Minneapolis, MN (altitude, 0 m), and had arrived in Winter Park, CO (altitude, 2,750 m), 1 day before his symptoms began. One week prior to travel, he had symptoms of an upper respiratory tract infection including fatigue, diaphoresis, fever, and productive cough. He was an otherwise healthy nonsmoker who reported having childhood asthma but had experienced no symptoms during adulthood. A physical examination revealed an uncomfortable man breathing 32 times per minute, who was in moderate respiratory distress. The patient’s pulse oximetry while breathing room air was 62%, which improved to 95% with the addition of supplemental oxygen via a non-rebreather mask. A chest examination demonstrated symmetrical expansion, bibasilar rales, and no wheezes. The results of a cardiac examination were normal, and the P2 sound was not