A Diagnostic Conundrum in a Newly Diagnosed Ulcerative Colitis Patient Who Presented with Pleuropericardial Effusion

Abstract

Ulcerative colitis is a chronic inflammatory disease affecting mainly the colon and presenting with diarrhea, bloody defecation and abdominal pain. Although cardiac and/or pulmonary involvement has been reported in patients with ulcerative colitis, it rarely involves both the pleura and pericardium at the same time. Also, it is difficult to determine whether pulmonary or cardiac disease is secondary to the ulcerative colitis drugs or to the underlying disease process. Here we present a rare case of pleuropericardial effusion in a patient newly diagnosed with ulcerative colitis. In ulcerative colitis, the simultaneous involvement of the respiratory and cardiovascular systems is uncommon yet potentially dangerous.