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02:34
Auricular Acupressure as an Adjuvant Treatment for Wheezing in Stable Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease
Published on: May 10, 2024
A deceiving wheeze
S H Chotirmall1, P Branagan, M P Logan
1Department of Respiratory Medicine, Beaumont Hospital, Dublin 9, Republic of Ireland. schotirmall@rcsi.ie
Irish Journal of Medical Science
|August 8, 2009
Summary
Persistent wheeze in a young girl was initially thought to be childhood asthma. However, a rare dual aortic arch anomaly, discovered in her teenage years, was the true cause.
Area of Science:
- Cardiology
- Pulmonology
- Paediatric Medicine
Background:
- Wheezing is a common respiratory symptom in children and adults.
- Unexplained persistent wheezing necessitates thorough diagnostic investigation.
Observation:
- A young female patient presented with persistent wheezing, initially diagnosed as childhood asthma.
- The wheezing persisted despite standard asthma management.
Findings:
- A rare vascular anomaly, a dual aortic arch, was identified as the underlying cause of the persistent wheezing.
- This congenital cardiovascular anomaly became clinically apparent during adolescence.
Implications:
- This case highlights the importance of considering non-asthmatic causes for persistent wheezing.
- Clinicians should maintain a broad differential diagnosis, including rare congenital conditions, for refractory respiratory symptoms.
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