Galicia Clínica (Jan 2022)

Síndrome de platinea-ortodeoxia en una señora mayor: un desafío diagnóstico

  • Pedro Manuel Oliveira,
  • Maria Ana Canelas,
  • Pedro Teixeira,
  • Rita Costa,
  • Pedro Salvador,
  • Sofia Pereira

DOI
https://doi.org/10.22546/64/2439
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 83, no. 1
pp. 36 – 39

Abstract

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Introduction: Platypnea-orthodeoxia syndrome (POS) is a rare disorder characterized by dyspnoea and oxygen desaturation in the upright position which improves in the supine position. Clinical case: 84 years old woman with hypertension and Parkinson disease. She came to the emergency department complaining of dyspnoea. At admission she was polypneic (35 bpm), spO2 80%, 157/108mmHg, 115bpm, apyretic, normal pulmonary auscultation and without peripheral oedema. Oxygen supplementation was started with lack of response. The patient, which at first was lying in the bed with the headboard at 45º, recovered the peripheral oxygen saturation to 96-97% when the bed was placed at 0º. Diagnostic tests were performed, excluding cardiac myocardial infarction, pulmonary embolism and pneumonia. Transthoracic echocardiogram revealed an aneurysmatic interauricular septum with transoesophageal echocardiogram showing an interauricular communication ostium secundum type with a septal aneurysm that led to a right to left shut. The anatomical and clinical features did not allowed percutaneous or surgical closure. After a group discussion we decided for palliative care. Discussion: POS due to a septal aneurysm with right-to-left shunt is a rare and difficult diagnose because it requires a detailed medical examination and exclusion of any other possible diseases. Besides that, it is a very rare presentation in such an old person.

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