Sulfasalazine-induced pericarditis in a patient with ulcerative colitis without recurrence when switching to mesalazine.
BACKGROUND
Pericarditis is rarely reported in inflammatory bowel disease. Besides its common causes, pericarditis could be related to ulcerative colitis flare or to 5-aminosalicylic acid (5-ASA) treatment.


METHODS
We report the case of a patient in whom fever, weight loss and pericarditis developed after 16 years of treatment with sulfasalazine for ulcerative colitis, after increasing the daily dosage from 1 to 3 g.


CONCLUSIONS
The patient recovered after treatment discontinuation and did not exhibit any recurrence of pericarditis when treatment with mesalazine was introduced.


CONCLUSIONS
In conclusion, if pericarditis occurs in ulcerative colitis patients treated with 5-ASA compounds, the treatment should be considered as a possible cause, even after an increase of the dosage. In this case, discontinuation of the treatment and cautious switch to another 5-ASA compound should be tested.
Perrot
Serge
S
Service de Medecine Interne et Consultation de la Douleur, Hôtel Dieu, 1 Place du Parvis Notre Dame, 75004 Paris, France. serge.perrot@htd.aphp.fr
Aslangul
Elisabeth
E
Szwebel
Tali
T
Gadhoum
Houdha
H
Romnicianu
Sophie
S
Le Jeunne
Claire
C
D000636:Aminosalicylic Acids / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D003093:Colitis, Ulcerative / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000517:prevention & control*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D019804:Mesalamine / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008875:Middle Aged; D010493:Pericarditis / Q000139:chemically induced*; D012008:Recurrence; D012460:Sulfasalazine / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000627:therapeutic use
D000636:Aminosalicylic Acids; D012460:Sulfasalazine; D019804:Mesalamine