Kartagener syndrome in a Nigerian African--a case report and literature review.
BACKGROUND
Kartagener syndrome is a type of primary ciliary dyskinesia. It is a rare autonomic recessive disorder with an estimated incidence of about 1 in 32,000 live births. In Nigeria, because of lack of availability of facilities for investigations in order to make a diagnosis, it has hardly been reported.


OBJECTIVE
This report is intended to remind clinicians of the condition of Kartagener syndrome as the patients might be missed in the presentation as our patient's diagnosis was missed and he was diagnosed to have tuberculosis.


METHODS
This case is that of a 43-year-old male Nigerian African, who has had an on and off productive cough, since he was 33 years of age. Eight months prior to presentation, the cough worsened and was associated with haemolysis that was followed by swelling of the feet. This swelling of the feet started two months before presentation. He had subfertility. He was found to have partial situs inversus viscerum (dextrocardia which is the hallmark of the diagnosis of Kartagener syndrome). He had lung collapse in the right lower zone, also supporting the diagnosis of Kartagener syndrome. This patient had cor pulmonale from repeated chest infection and died after 30 days of admission.
Chuhwak
E K
EK
Department of Medicine and Radiology, Faculty of Medical Sciences, University of Jos. kchuhwak@yahoo.com
D000328:Adult; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D017809:Fatal Outcome; D006801:Humans; D007619:Kartagener Syndrome / Q000175:diagnosis*; D008297:Male; D009549:Nigeria