title: Presumed paradoxical embolus in a patient with diabetic ketoacidosis.
abstract: Thrombotic complications figure among the most frequent causes of mortality in diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) and hyperosmolar state. We report the case of a 55-year-old woman presenting with DKA whereby a newly discovered patent foramen ovale was found due in part to the observation of bilateral deep vein thrombosis in legs, bilateral multiple pulmonary embolisms, and left subclavian acute artery thrombosis. Diabetes is known as a hypercoagulability state, and DKA is rising as a risk factor for vascular events. The importance of prophylactic anticoagulation should be emphasized in this setting.
authors.affiliation: Department of Nephrology, Maisonneuve-Rosement Hospital, Montreal, QC, Canada.
authors.forename: Catherine
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Langevin
authors.affiliation: Department of Nephrology, Maisonneuve-Rosement Hospital, Montreal, QC, Canada.
authors.forename: Caroline
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Lamarche
authors.affiliation: Department of Nephrology, Maisonneuve-Rosement Hospital, Montreal, QC, Canada.
authors.forename: Robert Z
authors.initials: RZ
authors.lastname: Bell
authors.affiliation: Department of Nephrology, Maisonneuve-Rosement Hospital, Montreal, QC, Canada.
authors.forename: Michel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Vallée
keywords: hypercoagulability; prophylactic anticoagulation; pulmonary embolism; thrombosis