title: Pericardial effusion in the nephrotic syndrome.
abstract: Hydropericardium is a known cause of pericardial effusion related to severely expanded extracellular fluid volume. Nephrotic patients have expanded extracellular fluid volume but obviously may have other causes for pericardial effusion. We tested the hypothesis that pericardial effusion is related to inflammation and not to hydropericardium in patients with nephrotic syndrome. Twenty nephrotic patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) were compared to 20 patients with nephrotic syndrome of other causes. No patient in either group had symptoms or signs of pericardial disease. Pleural effusion and ascites were equally common in SLE-nephrotic patients compared to non-SLE-nephrotic patients. However, 8 SLE patients had pericardial effusion, while none of the non-SLE-nephrotic patients had pericardial effusion. We suggest that hydropericardium is rare in nephrotic patients and that an inflammatory or other secondary cause should be considered when pericardial effusion complicates nephrotic syndrome.
authors.affiliation: Helios Klinikum Berlin, Franz Volhard Clinic, Medical Faculty of the Charité, Humboldt University of Berlin, Germany.
authors.forename: U
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Göbel
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Mauersberger
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Kettritz
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Bohlender
authors.forename: F C
authors.initials: FC
authors.lastname: Luft
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000974:Antibodies, Antinuclear / Q000097:blood; D001201:Ascites / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D001799:Blood Sedimentation; D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000032:analysis; D015941:Complement Hemolytic Activity Assay; D003165:Complement System Proteins / Q000032:analysis; D005110:Extracellular Space / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008180:Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D008297:Male; D009404:Nephrotic Syndrome / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D010490:Pericardial Effusion / Q000097:blood / Q000209:etiology* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D010996:Pleural Effusion / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D012307:Risk Factors
chemical_list: D000974:Antibodies, Antinuclear; D003165:Complement System Proteins; D002097:C-Reactive Protein