Constrictive pericarditis post allogeneic bone marrow transplant for Philadelphia-positive acute lymphoblastic leukaemia.
We describe two cases of severe constrictive pericarditis arising after allogeneic BMT conditioning involving total body irradiation and melphalan to treat Philadelphia-chromosome positive ALL. Both patients required pericardectomy, resulting in marked improvement in ventricular filling. However, a degree of right-sided cardiac failure persisted in both patients secondary to restrictive cardiomyopathy. Constrictive pericarditis has not been previously described after BMT, but has been observed following thoracic radiotherapy for malignancy, usually involving a substantially higher radiation dose. Pericardial constriction and restrictive cardiomyopathy should be considered as causes of breathlessness and/or oedema occurring late after BMT. Bone Marrow Transplantation (2000) 25, 571-573.
Cavet
J
J
Department of Haematology, Royal Victoria Infirmary, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK.
Lennard
A
A
Gascoigne
A
A
Finney
R D
RD
Lucraft
H H
HH
Richardson
C
C
Taylor
P R
PR
Proctor
S J
SJ
Jackson
G H
GH
D000328:Adult; D018906:Antineoplastic Agents, Alkylating / Q000627:therapeutic use / Q000633:toxicity; D016026:Bone Marrow Transplantation / Q000009:adverse effects*; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D004487:Edema / Q000209:etiology; D004927:Escherichia coli Infections / Q000209:etiology; D017809:Fatal Outcome; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008558:Melphalan / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000633:toxicity; D010492:Pericardiectomy; D010494:Pericarditis, Constrictive / Q000209:etiology*; D054198:Precursor Cell Lymphoblastic Leukemia-Lymphoma / Q000150:complications / Q000628:therapy*; D019172:Transplantation Conditioning / Q000009:adverse effects*; D014184:Transplantation, Homologous; D014916:Whole-Body Irradiation / Q000009:adverse effects
D018906:Antineoplastic Agents, Alkylating; D008558:Melphalan