Pericarditis with massive pericardial effusion: an unusual complication of primary biliary cirrhosis
Taimeh, Z.; Hatfield, C.; Husainy, R.; Holthauser, C.; Pugh, A.; Dababneh, H.; Martin, A.
Acta Gastro-Enterologica Belgica 75(3): 354-356
2012
ISSN/ISBN: 1784-3227 PMID: 23082708 Document Number: 660279
Primary Biliary Cirrhosis (PBC) is a debilitating autoimmune condition associated with a constellation of extrahepatic inflammatory manifestations accentuating its morbidity and mortality. Pericarditis and pericardial effusion had been rarely associated with and inadequately characterized in PBC. We present a challenging case of inflammatory pericarditis and life-threatening massive pericardial effusion in a 49 year old patient with PBC. This complication should be more recognized and appropriately treated to avoid progression to cardiac tamponade.