A young man, after a non penetrating chest trauma, developed recurrent episodes of fever, chest pain, pleural and pericardial effusion, without laboratory evidence of viral infections, or positivity for conventional autoimmunity markers. A clearcut positivity for more specific cardiac autoantibodies, against Beta 1 adrenoceptors (AB1AA), was found (at all dilutions from 1:20 to 1:160). A full dosage of Prednisone rapidly relieved all symptoms, whereas antibiotic therapy had been previously uneffective. At a follow-up control after three months, the patient was healed and AB1AA were positive only at dilutions 1:20 and 1:40. As silent viral myocarditis was apparently ruled out by serological negativity for viral infections, it is possible that autoimmunity could have played a primary pathogenetic role for the development of pericarditis in this patient. Further work is needed to ascertain whether or not AB1AA detection could be a specific marker of cardiac autoimmunity phenomena.
De Santis, A., Fenici, R., Frustaci, A., Romito, A., Manna, R., Recurrent perimyocarditis following a non penetrating chest trauma. A case report, <<GIORNALE ITALIANO DI CARDIOLOGIA>>, 1996; 26 (Gennaio): 57-60 [http://hdl.handle.net/10807/17498]
Recurrent perimyocarditis following a non penetrating chest trauma. A case report
Fenici, Riccardo;Frustaci, Andrea;Manna, Raffaele
1996
Abstract
A young man, after a non penetrating chest trauma, developed recurrent episodes of fever, chest pain, pleural and pericardial effusion, without laboratory evidence of viral infections, or positivity for conventional autoimmunity markers. A clearcut positivity for more specific cardiac autoantibodies, against Beta 1 adrenoceptors (AB1AA), was found (at all dilutions from 1:20 to 1:160). A full dosage of Prednisone rapidly relieved all symptoms, whereas antibiotic therapy had been previously uneffective. At a follow-up control after three months, the patient was healed and AB1AA were positive only at dilutions 1:20 and 1:40. As silent viral myocarditis was apparently ruled out by serological negativity for viral infections, it is possible that autoimmunity could have played a primary pathogenetic role for the development of pericarditis in this patient. Further work is needed to ascertain whether or not AB1AA detection could be a specific marker of cardiac autoimmunity phenomena.I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.