title: Pericardial effusion with cardiac tamponade as a cardiac manifestation of Duchenne muscular dystrophy.
abstract: Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) is the most common hereditary neuromuscular disease in children. It is an X-linked hereditary dystrophinopathy due to the absence of dystrophin. Its onset is often in early childhood and presents with proximal distribution of weakness and a progressive course. Cardiac involvement in DMD is common, and its onset is usually after the age of 10 years. The most common cardiac manifestations are a dilated cardiomyopathy and cardiac arrhythmia. However, pericardial effusion with cardiac tamponade is a very rare cardiac complication of DMD. We report a boy with DMD who initially presented with progressive dyspnea and an enlarged cardiac silhouette on chest radiography who subsequently developed a large pericardial effusion with cardiac tamponade. Early recognition of pericardial effusion with cardiac tamponade is important for institution appropriate therapy.
authors.affiliation: Division of Pediatric Neurology, Department of Pediatrics, Chang Gung Children's Hospital and Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Chang Gung University College of Medicine, 5 Fu-Shin Street, Kwei-Shan, Taoyuan, 333, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Jainn-Jim
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.forename: Mao-Sheng
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Hwang
authors.forename: Shao-Hsuan
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Hsia
authors.forename: Hung-Tao
authors.initials: HT
authors.lastname: Chung
authors.forename: Yu-Sheng
authors.initials: YS
authors.lastname: Chang
authors.forename: Kuang-Lin
authors.initials: KL
authors.lastname: Lin
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D002305:Cardiac Tamponade / Q000209:etiology*; D004452:Echocardiography / Q000379:methods; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D020388:Muscular Dystrophy, Duchenne / Q000150:complications* / Q000473:pathology; D009206:Myocardium / Q000473:pathology*; D010490:Pericardial Effusion / Q000209:etiology*; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed / Q000379:methods