Why the study?
Pericarditis is common in SLE, but cardiac tamponade and pericardial effusion as initial presentations are rare and unpredictable.
Highlights the importance of considering autoimmune disorders like SLE in patients presenting with unexplained cardiac tamponade.
May warrant SLE serologies in unexplained recurrent tamponade; leaves open whether this rare presentation should alter diagnostic algorithms.
Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is a globally prevalent autoimmune disease that affects nearly every body organ and involves multiple systems. Pericarditis is common in lupus patients, whereas cardiac tamponade is much less frequent. The occurrence of pericardial effusion and tamponade as initial symptoms is even more uncommon. Here we present a case of a 22 year old female who initially presented with recurrent pericardial tamponade, ultimately leading to the diagnosis of SLE. The occurrence of tamponade in individuals with SLE is unpredictable and typically correlated with radiographic signs of cardiomegaly. Timely recognition is crucial for prompt intervention, and sharing this case contributes to collective knowledge, making healthcare professionals more vigilant about considering autoimmune disorders in patients presenting with cardiac emergencies.
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Iqbal et al. (2024) studied this question.
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