Sabrina Anticoli1, Francesca Romana Pezzella1, Antonio Siniscalchi2, Luca Gallelli3, Maria Cristina Bravi4. 1. Stroke Unit Emergency Department, S. Camillo-Forlanini Hospital, Rome, Italy. 2. Department of Neurology, Annunziata Hospital, Cosenza, Italy. 3. Department of Health Science, School of Medicine, University of Catanzaro, Catanzaro, Italy ; Clinical Pharmacology and Pharmacovigilance Unit, Mater Domini University Hospital, Catanzaro, Italy. 4. Internal Medicine Department, S. Camillo-Forlanini Hospital, Rome, Italy.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Pulmonary arteriovenous malformation (PAVM) is an abnormal communication between pulmonary arteries and veins responsible for right-to-left shunting that could induce the development of embolic stroke. SUMMARY: We describe an 82-year-old woman without history of respiratory or neurological diseases, who presented at our observation unit with acute onset of cerebral ischemia. Clinical, laboratory and radiological findings diagnosed a PAVM. KEY MESSAGES: Usually, endovascular procedures based on embolization or, alternatively, surgery represent the recommended treatment. However, both hormonal therapy and thrombolytic therapy can be used. In our patient, treatment with warfarin induced a remission of symptoms. This strategy should be tested in larger studies.
BACKGROUND:Pulmonary arteriovenous malformation (PAVM) is an abnormal communication between pulmonary arteries and veins responsible for right-to-left shunting that could induce the development of embolic stroke. SUMMARY: We describe an 82-year-old woman without history of respiratory or neurological diseases, who presented at our observation unit with acute onset of cerebral ischemia. Clinical, laboratory and radiological findings diagnosed a PAVM. KEY MESSAGES: Usually, endovascular procedures based on embolization or, alternatively, surgery represent the recommended treatment. However, both hormonal therapy and thrombolytic therapy can be used. In our patient, treatment with warfarin induced a remission of symptoms. This strategy should be tested in larger studies.