Pulmonary hypertension – unusual complication of haemolysis and the bacterial overgrowth syndrome

Czech version

Authors: V. Kojecký; M. Lukaštíková
Authors‘ workplace: Interní klinika IPVZ Praha, Krajská nemocnice T. Bati, a. s., Zlín, přednosta doc. MU Dr. Čestmír Čihalík, CSc.
Published in: Vnitř Lék 2010; 56(6): 513-516
Category: Case Reports

Overview

The authors describe a case of a patient with celiac disease in whom a secondary bacterial overgrowth had developed in the small intestine. Vitamin B₁₂ and folic acid consumption deficiency resulted in a development of macrocytary anaemia and non‑immune haemolysis. Subsequently, within a few weeks, a significant pulmonary hypertension has developed, the cause of which was first unclear. Haemolysis as well as pulmonary hypertension ceased following bacterial overgrowth treatment and B₁₂ and, later on, folic acid substitution. Retrospectively, the authors infer that this could have been the haemolytic anaemia‑associated pulmonary hypertension syndrome.

Key words:
pulmonary hypertension – haemolysis – celiac disease

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