Korean Circ J.  2012 Jun;42(6):419-422. 10.4070/kcj.2012.42.6.419.

Acute Recurrent Pericarditis Accompanied by Graves' Disease

• Koo EH
• Kim SM
• Park SM
• Park JW
• Kim EK
• Lee GY
• Chang SA
• Lee SC
• Choe YH

• KMID: 1433862
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.4070/kcj.2012.42.6.419

Abstract

The etiology of acute pericarditis is often thought to be autoimmune, and Graves' disease has been reported in a few series to manifest as acute pericarditis. Since the etiology of recurrent pericarditis is known to be more associated with autoimmune causes, recurrent acute pericarditis may be a potential cardiovascular complication of Graves' disease. We report a case of recurrent acute pericarditis that was presumed to be associated with Graves' disease which was controlled after management of the problem of the thyroid.

Keyword

Pericarditis; Graves disease

MeSH Terms

Graves Disease
Pericarditis
Thyroid Gland

Figure

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  Fig. 1 Twelve-lead electrocardiograms (ECG) in patient presenting with acute recurrent pericarditis. A: ECG at the 1st admission showed diffuse ST-segment elevation. B: ECG at the 2nd admission also showed diffuse ST-segment elevation except aVR and V1.

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  Fig. 2 Initial two-dimensional transthoracic echocardiogram in the parasternal view showed a small pericardial effusion (arrow).

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  Fig. 3 Whole heart coronary magnetic resonance angiographic imaging demonstrates a slightly thickened pericardium (arrowheads) and minimal amount pericardial effusion (arrow).

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  Fig. 4 Electrocardiogram at 3 months of follow up showed normalization of ST-segment elevation.

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