[Bronchial obstruction by an aberrant left pulmonary artery misdiagnosed as asthma in a 7 year old child].
BACKGROUND
Wheezing is common symptom in infants and is usually due to asthma. However an alternative diagnosis should be sought if there is no reversibility to B2-agonist.


METHODS
This case report describes a 7 years old child who had been treated for poorly controlled asthma for several years. The absence of B2-agonist reversibility, indirect signs of thoracic straining on spirometry and evidence of right heart decompensation raised doubts about the diagnosis. CT angiography demonstrated a pulmonary artery malformation. Formal pulmonary angiography confirmed the diagnosis of pulmonary artery sling. This malformation had been causing intermittent bronchial compression and the symptoms resolved after surgical intervention.


CONCLUSIONS
Wheezing symptoms over two Years in a child, misdiagnosed as asthma, is an unusual presentation of this pulmonary vascular anomaly.
Milhe
F
F
Service de Pneumo-Allergologie, EA 3287, Université de la Méditerranée, Hôpital Sainte Marguerite, Marseille, France. fmilhe2@wanadoo.fr
Schranz
J
J
Boniface
S
S
Vervloet
D
D
Magnan
A
A
D000318:Adrenergic beta-Agonists; D000792:Angiography; D001249:Asthma / Q000175:diagnosis*; D001982:Bronchial Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology; D002648:Child; D003251:Constriction, Pathologic; D003951:Diagnostic Errors; D005260:Female; D006333:Heart Failure / Q000209:etiology; D006801:Humans; D011651:Pulmonary Artery / Q000002:abnormalities*; D012129:Respiratory Function Tests; D012135:Respiratory Sounds / Q000209:etiology; D013147:Spirometry
D000318:Adrenergic beta-Agonists