Question

Which of the following clinical findings is MOST suggestive of pneumonia?

a) Fever and localized crackles.
b) Dyspnea and diffuse wheezing.
c) White sputum and rales.
d) Nonproductive cough.

Answer 1

The clinical finding most suggestive of pneumonia is fever and localized crackles.

Step-by-step explanation:

The clinical finding that is most suggestive of pneumonia is fever and localized crackles (option a).

Pneumonia is an inflammatory disease of the respiratory tract that affects the alveoli, the tiny sacs in the lungs where gas exchange takes place. In pneumonia, the alveoli become inflamed and filled with fluid, inhibiting proper gas exchange. One of the most common symptoms of pneumonia is a fever, which is typically accompanied by localized crackles or rales, abnormal sounds heard upon auscultation of the chest due to fluid or inflammation in the lungs.

For example, a chest radiograph (X-ray) of a patient with pneumonia shows opaque patches, or consolidations, in the lungs, indicating the presence of fluid or inflammation (Figure 22.9).