Case report
Pulmonary arteriovenous malformations presenting as difficult-to-control asthma: a case report
1 Reference Center for Clinical Allergology of the Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, Srebrnjak Children’s Hospital, Srebrnjak 100, HR-10000, Zagreb, Croatia
2 Clinical Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, Clinical Hospital Merkur, Zajčeva 19, HR-10000, Zagreb, Croatia
Journal of Medical Case Reports 2013, 7:32 doi:10.1186/1752-1947-7-32
Published: 25 January 2013Abstract
Introduction
Although pulmonary arteriovenous malformations are relatively rare disorders, they are an important part of the differential diagnosis of common pulmonary problems, such as hypoxemia, dyspnea on exertion and pulmonary nodules.
Case presentation
An 11-year-old Croatian boy of Mediterranean origin with a history of asthma since childhood was admitted to our hospital for evaluation of difficult-to-control asthma during the previous six months. A chest X-ray showed a homogeneous soft tissue mass in the lingual area. Computed tomography angiography of the thorax showed two pulmonary arteriovenous malformations, one on each side of the lungs. Diagnosis of hereditary hemorrhagic telangiectasia was made clinically by Curaçao criteria. Genetic analysis revealed a mutation in the endoglin gene. The patient was treated with embolotherapy with good clinical outcome.
Conclusion
We present a case of pulmonary arteriovenous malformations masquerading as refractory asthma.
