Systemic disease presenting as cardiac tamponade: a case report

• Published in: European heart journal : case reports Vol. 8; no. 4; p. ytae137
• Main Authors: Barradas, Maria Inês, Coutinho dos Santos, Inês, Duarte, Fabiana, Tavares, Anabela, Martins, Dinis
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: UK Oxford University Press 01.04.2024
• Subjects: Autoantibodies; Autoimmunity; Cardiac tamponade; Care and treatment; Case Report; Complications and side effects; Diagnosis; Diseases; Heart failure; Lupus; Patient outcomes; Systemic lupus erythematosus; Portugal; Polyserositis; Case report; Systemic lupus erythematosus; Cardiac tamponade
• ISSN: 2514-2119; 2514-2119
• DOI: 10.1093/ehjcr/ytae137

Abstract Background Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is a chronic autoimmune disease characterized by multisystem inflammation and is a common cause of pericarditis and pericardial effusion, but significant pericardial effusion and cardiac tamponade are rare and even rarer as the first manifestation. Case summary We report the case of a young male who presented with fever, recurrent pericarditis, and polyserositis with pericardial and bilateral pleural effusion. On examination, he was haemodynamically unstable and the pericardial effusion had considerable dimensions and an urgent pericardiocentesis was performed. Antinuclear antibody with a speckled pattern was positive, complement C4 levels were low, and the remaining autoimmunity and infectious study was unremarkable. Considering the European League Against Rheumatism/American College of Rheumatology classification criteria for SLE, a score of 11 points was obtained, confirming the diagnosis of SLE. Discussion This case report illustrates a rare form of presentation of SLE, in which the first manifestation was pericarditis with polyserositis and cardiac tamponade.