Rheumatic pneumonia

This code signifies an inflammatory condition of the lungs caused by acute rheumatic fever. It represents a rare but serious pulmonary manifestation of rheumatic disease, characterized by diffuse alveolar damage and interstitial inflammation.

This code is appropriate when documentation clearly indicates pneumonia as a complication of acute rheumatic fever. Supporting clinical evidence would include a diagnosis of acute rheumatic fever alongside signs and symptoms of pneumonia, such as cough, dyspnea, and infiltrates on chest imaging.

• Always code the underlying acute rheumatic fever first, followed by this code for the pulmonary manifestation.
• Differentiate from other types of pneumonia (e.g., bacterial, viral) which would be coded differently.
• Ensure documentation explicitly links the pneumonia to rheumatic fever; "pneumonia in a patient with rheumatic fever" is insufficient without a causal link.