[Cardiac tamponade in hypothyroidism. Probability of coexisting viral pericarditis--a case report]

The authors describe a case of a 50-year-old woman admitted to hospital with clinical symptoms of a cardiac tamponade. Pericardiocentesis was done and 850 ml of fluid were drained during three days. Relatively slow heart rate (82/min before, and 60/min post intervention) and initial laboratory data: marked hipercholesterolemia (8.2 mmol/l) and high CK activity (1830 IU/l) were typical of hypothyroidism. Examination of hormone levels confirmed this suspicion (TSH 162 uIU/ml, fT4 0.11 microg/dl, fT3 0.4 pmol/l). USG image and antithyroid antibodies presence (anti-TPO >3000 U/ml) helped in diagnosing of autoimmune thyroiditis. During substitution therapy with L-thyroxine her clinical status improved systematically. Additionally, an increased raised serum titre of Coxackie B virus antibodies (B3-B5 >1/256) suggested coexisting viral pericarditis. Two months before hospitalization she had symptoms of viral infection. A review of current literature on the subject is presented.