title: ["Straight back" syndrome].
abstract: The authors report the clinical case of a 21-year-old man, with " straight back " syndrome, admitted due to prostration and fever. He developed acute pulmonary oedema and shock, caused by chordae tendineae rupture of a mixomatous and prolapsing mitral valve, with endocarditis. He had also a mixomatous tricuspid valve, reduced calibre distal thoracic aorta and celiac trunk stenosis. Mitral valve replacement and Vega annuloplasty were performed.  This case illustrates the association between " straight back " syndrome and valvular and vascular disease and emphasizes that structural heart and vascular abnormalities may be present more often in these patients than previously anticipated.
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Cardiologia do Hospital de São Jo$atilde;o, Porto.
authors.forename: Alexandra
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sou
authors.forename: Elisabete
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Martins
authors.forename: Maria
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Júlia Maciel
mesh_terms: D006331:Heart Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D013131:Spine / Q000002:abnormalities*; D013577:Syndrome; D055815:Young Adult