Platypnea-orthodeoxia due to osteoporosis and severe kyphosis: a rare cause for dyspnea and hypoxemia

Platypnea orthodeoxia is a rare disorder characterized by dyspnea and arterial desaturation, exacerbated by the upright position and relieved when the subject is recumbent. We report the case of a 79-year old woman admitted to hospital with dyspnea who was thought to have restrictive ventilatory impairment due to osteoporosis and severe kyphosis. Interestingly, the dyspnea was aggravated in the upright position, whereas the symptoms improved in the supine position. Arterial blood gas analysis confirmed orthodeoxia. The lung function test showed only a mild obstructive and restrictive ventilation disorder. Echocardiography revealed a patent foramen ovale and an aneurysm of the atrial septum protruding into the left atrium, despite normal right atrial pressure. Transesophageal echocardiography showed a prominent Eustachian valve guiding a blood flow from the inferior vena cava directly onto the atrial septum, thereby pushing open the patent foramen ovale. Contrast-enhanced echocardiography confirmed a spontaneous right-to-left shunt through the patent foramen ovale. It was assumed that the platypnea-orthodeoxia was caused by a prominent Eustachian valve redirected to the patent foramen ovale as a result of severe osteoporosis with subsequent thoracic kyphosis and a change in the position of the entire heart. The patient underwent permanent transcatheter closure of the patent foramen ovale after hemodynamic assessment had confirmed a significant right-to-left shunt through it. After the procedure the arterial oxygen pressure increased significantly in the upright position and dyspnea improved

Referral and consultation in asthma and COPD: an exploration of pulmonologists' views.

Item does not contain fulltextBACKGROUND: The burden of asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) on national healthcare systems is expected to increase substantially in future years. Referral guidelines for general practitioners (GPs) and pulmonologists may lead to more efficient use of healthcare facilities. We explored the prevailing views of pulmonologists regarding referral and once-only consultation in asthma and COPD, and compared these views with recently published transmural referral guidelines for GPs and pulmonologists. METHODS: Cross-sectional multiple case study. Twenty-nine Dutch pulmonologists working at non-university hospitals or specialised chest clinics participated in group discussion sessions. RESULTS: The outcome of the discussions and recently published referral guidelines for GPs and pulmonologists showed considerable similarity, but also some marked discrepancies. During the discussions, the main points of disagreement among the pulmonologists were: 1) should GPs or pulmonologists add long-acting beta2-agonists to asthma treatment regimens; 2) should the current cut-off point 'predicted FEV1 <50%' for referral of COPD patients be increased to 60 or 70%; and 3) should an annual exacerbation rate of two episodes a year be used as an undifferentiated referral criterion for COPD patients? For asthma, proposed back-referral (i.e. from pulmonologist to GP) criteria rested on: required dose of inhaled steroids, persistent need for long-acting beta2-agonists, duration of clinical stability and persistence of airway obstruction. Back-referral criteria for COPD rested on age, blood-gas abnormalities and ventilatory limitations. Primary care monitoring facilities and 'shared-care' constructions were considered to be facilitating conditions for back-referral. CONCLUSIONS: This explorative study provided insights into how pulmonologists visualise a rational referral policy for patients with asthma or COPD. These insights can be taken into consideration in future revisions of referral and back-referral guidelines for GPs and pulmonologists

Neuroticism, preattentive and attentional biases towards threat, and anxiety before and after a severe stressor: a prospective study.

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A longitudinal, prospective study on emotional adjustment before, during and after consecutive fertility treatment cycles.

Item does not contain fulltextBACKGROUND: A longitudinal study into the course of the emotional response to IVF from pre-treatment to 6 months post-treatment and factors that contributed to that course. METHODS: A total of 148 IVF patients and 71 partners completed self-report questionnaires on anxiety, depression, personality characteristics, meaning of fertility problems, coping, marital relationship and social support at pre-treatment. Assessments of anxiety and depression were repeated immediately following the final treatment cycle and again 6 months later (follow-up). RESULTS: Women showed an increase of both anxiety and depression after unsuccessful treatment and a decrease after successful treatment. Men showed no change in anxiety and depression either after successful or after unsuccessful treatment. In the 6 months after unsuccessful treatment, women showed no recovery. At follow-up, >20% of the women showed subclinical forms of anxiety and/or depression. Personality characteristics, meaning of the fertility problems, and social support determined the course of the emotional response. CONCLUSIONS: Most women adjusted well to unsuccessful treatment, but at follow-up, a considerable proportion still showed substantial emotional problems. Personality characteristics, pre-treatment meaning of the fertility problems and social support have demonstrated the adjustment to unsuccessful IVF in women. This allows early identification of women at risk as well as tailored interventions