Tietze’s Syndrome Post-COVID-19 Infection in an Adult Patient

Tietze’s syndrome is a rare inflammatory disorder characterized by chest well swelling and inflammation of the costal cartilages. We describe a gentleman with repeated presentations to the emergency department (ED) with left-sided chest and sternoclavicular pain on a background of recent asymptomatic coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) infection. He had elevated inflammatory markers and MRI subsequently confirmed the diagnosis of Tietze’s syndrome. Anti-inflammatory medications and colchicine eventually led to a complete resolution of symptoms. This case highlights how Tietze’s syndrome -- a disorder that is potentially self-limiting, can cause great distress and should be a differential diagnosis of chest pain after excluding life-threatening etiologies related to COVID-19.