Colchicine: an effective treatment for refractory malignant pericardial effusion.
We report a patient with AL amyloidosis and chemo-resistant light-chain multiple myeloma who developed a progressive malignant pericardial effusion leading to cardiac tamponade. Despite pericardiocentesis and surgical intervention, the pericardial effusion failed to resolve. The administration of oral colchicine produced symptomatic relief within 5 days, with the resolution of pericardial effusion after 14 days of treatment. As the administration of colchicine is simple and the side-effect is usually minimal, further studies are warranted to establish the feasibility of using colchicine to treat malignant pericardial effusion.
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Department of Haematological Medicine, King's College Hospital, Denmark Hill, London SE5 9RS, UK. tsfng@hotmail.com
Gatt
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Pagliuca
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Mufti
G J
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D000328:Adult; D000686:Amyloidosis / Q000150:complications; D002305:Cardiac Tamponade / Q000209:etiology; D003078:Colchicine / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009101:Multiple Myeloma / Q000150:complications; D010490:Pericardial Effusion / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology
D003078:Colchicine