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. 2019 Mar 21;11(1):6.
doi: 10.1186/s13089-019-0121-z.

Persistent hypoxemia after an asthma attack

Cristian Deana  1 , Laura Conangla  2 , Luigi Vetrugno  3 , Massimiliano Saltarini  4 , Stefania Buttera  5 , Tiziana Bove  3 , Flavio Bassi  5 , Amato De Monte  4
Affiliations

Persistent hypoxemia after an asthma attack

Cristian Deana et al. Ultrasound J. .

Abstract

The presence of an unknown intracardiac shunt due to a patent foramen ovale may be an unusual cause of hypoxemia. We report the case of a patient who presented persistent hypoxemia after an adequate treatment for a severe asthma attack requiring intensive care unit admission. The patient underwent a transthoracic microbubbles contrast echocardiography that showed a massive patent foramen ovale. The favorable clinical course and the absence of major signs and symptoms related to patent foramen ovale allowed a conservative approach with a follow-up program. Patent foramen ovale should be suspected in case of persistent hypoxemia after a severe asthma attack had resolved.

Keywords: Asthma attack; Echocardiography; Microbubbles contrast; Patent foramen ovale.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare that they have no competing interests.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Transthoracic echocardiographic evaluation while the patient was normally breathing shows early microbubbles in left cardiac cameras
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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