European Respiratory Journal

A 27 year old woman was admitted to hospital because of seizures, haemoptysis and dyspnoea. She had been diagnosed as having tuberous sclerosis with mental re-tardation, epilepsy and secondary hydrocephalia due to a cerebral tuber obstructing the foramen of Monroe. Two years prior to admission, the hydrocephalia of the lateral cerebral ventricles was corrected by a ventri-culo-cardial shunt. The patient was a nonsmoker and had no history of asthma. One month before admi-ssion, she developed progressively worsening exertional dyspnoea, without coughing. Her medication included carbamazepine, 400 mg daily, and clonazepam, 3 mg daily. Physical examination showed a patient in moderate respiratory distress. Blood…