title: Acute, reversible left ventricular dysfunction in status asthmaticus.
abstract: Three cases of rapidly reversible severe myocardial depression are described in patients with status asthmaticus. Initial echocardiograms obtained within 1 day of hospital admission revealed global left ventricular hypokinesis with ejection fractions of 11 to 34%. Follow-up echocardiograms obtained only 3 to 8 days later revealed marked improvement of left ventricular function. Possible mechanisms responsible for the observed rapidly reversible myocardial depression and the clinical implications of this finding are discussed.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Evans Memorial Department of Clinical Research, Boston University Medical Center Hospital, Boston City Hospital 02118, USA.
authors.forename: G N
authors.initials: GN
authors.lastname: Levine
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Powell
authors.forename: S A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Bernard
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Sherman
authors.forename: L J
authors.initials: LJ
authors.lastname: Faling
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Davidoff
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D004452:Echocardiography; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D013224:Status Asthmaticus / Q000150:complications*; D018487:Ventricular Dysfunction, Left / Q000209:etiology*