Problem:
Valerie, a 42-year-old waitress presents to your office for evaluation of shortness of breath. She has had a fever as high as 103 degrees F for the last 3 days and has a productive cough with green sputum. (use Valerie's for the next two questions) On physical exam, you hear crackles in her lungs. A chest radiograph reveals a consolidation in the left lower lobe. You diagnose her with lobar pneumonia. When you perform tactile fremitus on the left lower thorax, you would expect fremitus to be? Group of answer choices Decreased Increased Unchanged from expected Displaced