Cardiopulmonary rehabilitation in a patient with Noonan syndrome

Noonan syndrome, an autosomal dominant disease occurring with an incidence of 1 in 1,000 to 1 in 2,500 live births, is characterized by its particular cardiovascular abnormalities, including pulmonic valve stenosis, pulmonary artery stenosis, and, more rarely, septal defects and coarctation of the aorta. The case of a 20-year-old man admitted for inpatient cardiopulmonary rehabilitation after pulmonic valve repair, left pulmonary artery angioplasty, and pectus excavatum repair is presented. His endurance was markedly decreased, thus limiting his ability to perform activities of daily living and reducing his exercise tolerance. With participation in a comprehensive cardiopulmonary rehabilitation program, he experienced marked improvement with independence in his activities of daily living and an increase in his metabolic equivalent levels from to 2.8 to 5.4. After inpatient rehabilitation, he underwent left pulmonary stent placement before being discharged home. Subsequent outpatient cardiopulmonary rehabilitation has continued to improve significantly his overall exercise tolerance. Given that Noonan syndrome is viewed as the most common syndrome associated with congenital heart disease after Down syndrome, physiatrists must be familiar with its presentation, its associated abnormalities, and the treatment approach to optimize the patient's cardiopulmonary, musculoskeletal, and psychological status.