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Case Report: severe pulmonary hypertension in a child with micronutrient deficiency

Laure Pache-Wannaz1, Cristiana Voicu1, Laurence Boillat2

  • 1Pediatric Cardiology, Women-Mother-Child Department, Lausanne University Hospital and University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland.

Frontiers in Pediatrics
|February 17, 2025
PubMed

Insights

A seven-year-old boy with autism experienced severe pulmonary hypertension due to thiamine deficiency. Rapid recovery followed vitamin supplementation, highlighting diet

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric Cardiology
  • Nutritional Science

Background:

  • Pulmonary hypertension (PH) is a serious condition affecting lung arteries.
  • Dietary factors are rarely considered in the etiology of PH.

Observation:

  • A previously healthy seven-year-old boy with autistic features presented with acute, severe pulmonary hypertension.
  • His diet was highly selective, suggesting potential micronutrient deficiencies.

Findings:

  • Thiamine deficiency was identified as the primary cause of PH.
  • Moderate iron and suspected vitamin C deficiencies also contributed.
  • Vitamin supplementation led to rapid clinical improvement.

Implications:

  • Micronutrient deficiencies, particularly thiamine, can be a rare but significant cause of pulmonary hypertension.
  • Dietary history is crucial in diagnosing PH in patients with selective eating patterns.
  • This case underscores the importance of considering nutritional status in pediatric PH evaluations.

Keywords:
case reportmicronutrient deficiencypulmonary hypertensionselective food behaviorthiamine deficiencyvitamin supplementation

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