Systemic lupus erythematosus should be considered in the differential diagnosis for children presenting with cardiac tamponade to enable early diagnosis and steroid treatment.
SLE may present as tamponade in children; this case extends the differential but remains hypothesis-generating.
Cardiac involvement is a rare initial presentation of systemic lupus erythematosus. An 11-year-old girl was described to have massive haemorrhagic pericardial effusion and cardiac tamponade, which was later diagnosed as systemic lupus erythematosus. Therefore, in children presenting with cardiac tamponade, systemic lupus erythematosus should be considered as one of the differential diagnoses, as morbidity and mortality associated with cardiac tamponade can be dramatically reduced with early diagnosis and use of steroids.
No takes yet. Share an insight, caveat, or question.
Navreet Sharda (2013) studied this question.
Synapse has enriched 5 closely related papers on similar clinical questions. Consider them for comparative context: