An unusual cause of 'pleuritic' chest pain.

A 77 year old man presented to A&E with sudden onset left sided chest pain. This chest pain was severe enough to wake him up from sleep in the early hours of the morning. The pain was pleuritic in nature and severe enough to require administration of intravenous morphine. He had a past medical history of ischaemic heart disease (1997), pulmonary embolism (1997), and left sided pnuemothorax (1998). Drug history consisted of lansoprazole 30mg od, isosorbide mononitrate 60mg od, nicorandil 10mg bd, aspirin 75mg od, beclomethasone 100 inhaler 1 puff bd, salbutamol 100 inhaler prn and combivent nebuliser qds. He was a retired miner, having worked for 40 years underground. There was also a 20 pack year smoking history although he had stopped for 20 years. He was independent and had a 100 to 200 yard exercise tolerance on the flat. Observations showed respiratory rate of 18, temperature of 36.5 degrees Celsius, BP 133/69, oxygen saturation of 98% on air and a regular pulse of 70 beats per minute. Clinical examination did not reveal any abnormality, with no abdominal or chest wall tenderness.