title: Cardiomyopathy presenting as severe fatigue in a person with chronic spinal cord injury.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To describe a case of fatigue associated with cardiomyopathy in a man with spinal cord injury.
  
  
  METHODS
  Case report.
  
  
  METHODS
  An obese 35-year-old man with long-term ASIA A L2 paraplegia, accompanied by a 2-year history of progressive severe fatigue.
  
  
  METHODS
  Physical examination showed obesity, hypertension, tachycardia, and pitting edema. An echocardiogram showed a 20% ejection fraction, severe dilation, and global hypokinesis in the left ventricle and mild to moderate mitral regurgitation.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Symptoms improved after treatment with furosemide, warfarin, ramipril, and continuous positive airway pressure for obstructive sleep apnea.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Severe progressive fatigue in a patient with chronic SCI may signal cardiomyopathy. Diagnostic studies may be warranted in patients with progressive fatigue.
authors: Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada.
authors: Alice
authors: A
authors: Kam
authors: Rajini
authors: R
authors: Sankaran
authors: Kempe
authors: K
authors: Gowda
authors: Gary
authors: G
authors: Linassi
authors: Rodney Li Pi
authors: RL
authors: Shan
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D015862:Choroid Diseases; D004452:Echocardiography / Q000379:methods; D004562:Electrocardiography / Q000379:methods; D005221:Fatigue / Q000209:etiology* / Q000473:pathology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009206:Myocardium / Q000473:pathology*; D011859:Radiography; D013119:Spinal Cord Injuries / Q000150:complications*; D018487:Ventricular Dysfunction, Left / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000209:etiology*