Pulmonary alveolar microlithiasis

What it is

A rare genetic respiratory disease characterized by widespread intra-alveolar accumulation of minute calcium phosphate microliths, leading to pulmonary fibrosis, pulmonary hypertension, and chronic respiratory failure. Age of onset is highly variable, and most patients are asymptomatic for years or decades, before signs and symptoms like dyspnea on exertion, dry cough, chest pain, hemoptysis, or finger clubbing develop. The disease takes a long-term progressive course. Routine chest radiographs typically show a fine, ''sandstorm-like'' micronodular pattern that is more pronounced in the bases than in the apices.

Key facts

Age of onset

All ages

Inheritance

Autosomal recessive, Not applicable

Classified as

Disease

Signs and symptoms

These ranges are how often a sign appears across everyone diagnosed, not a prediction for one person — most people have some of these and not others. Orphanet also records findings that are specifically absent in this disease; those are in the data but not listed here.

Gene

ICD-10 codes

ICD-10 has no distinct code for most rare diseases, so many are filed under the nearest available one. A shared code identifies the group, not this disease — the ORPHAcode above is what identifies it.

Related health topics

Reached through the ICD-10 categories this disease is filed under, so these describe the broader group rather than this disease specifically.

Cross-references