[Shy-Drager syndrome]

An 81-year-old man with a history of chronic pulmonary disease due to heavy smoking and ischemic heart disease had been suffering for the past few years from chronic constipation and urinary incontinence and was receiving medication for cardiopulmonary symptoms and urinary incontinence. He was admitted for repeated falling for a few months prior to admission. When put in the supine position, his blood pressure fell. He had bilateral pulmonary rales, consistent with lung disease, eccentricity of the left pupil (after cataract surgery), constriction of the right pupil, and absence of the pupillary light reflex. There was generalized hyperreflexia and a bilateral Babinski sign. He had normocytic, normochromic anemia; B12, folic acid and ferritin were within normal ranges, ESR was rapid, there was hyperglobulinemia (IgA and IgG), urea nitrogen and creatinine were increased but returned to normal after rehydration. ECG and chest X-ray were consistent with his cardiopulmonary status. Bone-marrow biopsy showed hypocellularity. IVP and barium enema were normal. Echocardiography revealed a possible old posterior wall myocardial infarction. CT-scan showed moderate cerebral and cerebellar atrophy, calcifications in the carotid and vertebral arteries, and small infarcts in both hemispheres. At this point, after an extensive survey of the literature, the diagnosis of Shy-Drager syndrome was proposed and proved by monitoring ECG and serum levels of noradrenaline during postural changes. He was treated with Fluorinef and there were no more episodes of postural hypotension. Several weeks after discharge he reported that he was feeling well and had not fallen since discharge.