title: Pleuritis-pericarditis--an unusual initial manifestation of mixed connective tissue disease.
abstract: Cardiac involvement has been reported in mixed connective tissue disease (MCTD). We describe a 16-year-old girl in whom pleuritis and pericarditis occurred as the initial clinical manifestations of MCTD. Although pleuritis and pericarditis form a common clinical entity in MCTD, it is rarely seen as an initial manifestation. If MCTD is suspected, the diagnosis can be made by the clinical findings and the occurrence of a high titre of antibody against ribonuclease-sensitive ribonucleoprotein (RNP). This report emphasizes the importance of screening for connective tissue disease in patients with pericarditis/pleuritis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Rheumatology, Odense University Hospital, Denmark.
authors.forename: J M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Beier
authors.forename: H L
authors.initials: HL
authors.lastname: Nielsen
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Nielsen
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D004452:Echocardiography; D004562:Electrocardiography; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008947:Mixed Connective Tissue Disease / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy; D010493:Pericarditis / Q000209:etiology*; D010998:Pleurisy / Q000209:etiology*; D011239:Prednisolone / Q000627:therapeutic use
chemical_list: D011239:Prednisolone