Pleuropericarditis in a patient with ulcerative colitis in longstanding 5-aminosalicylic acid therapy

We report a case of pleuropericarditis in a 23-yr-old woman with ulcerative colitis (UC) treated with 5-aminosalicylic acid (5-ASA). In our case we exclude a possible 5-ASA hypersensitivity in view of the longterm complication free treatment and the successful resolution of the case without withdrawal of 5-ASA. A 5-ASA induced lupus-like syndrome was also ruled out by immunoserological investigations. Infectious and endocrinologic causes of pleuropericarditis were also excluded. In conclusion pleuropericarditis must be considered a systemic complication of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) if adverse reaction to 5-ASA and sulfasalazine as well as other possible pathogenetic factors have been ruled out.