Ergotamine-induced pleural and pericardial effusion successfully treated with colchicine

A 83-year-old woman was admitted to hospital with chest pain, fever, dry cough and palpitations. Chest X-ray revealed a pleural effusion, assumed to be caused by cardiac failure and respiratory infection. Despite treatment with antibiotics and diuretics, the pleural effusion increased on chest X-ray...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Published in:Acta clinica belgica (English ed. Online) 2013-03, Vol.68 (2), p.113-115
Main Authors: Helsen, V, Decoutere, L, Spriet, I, Fagard, K, Boonen, S, Tournoy, J
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Aged, 80 and over
Colchicine - therapeutic use
Diagnosis, Differential
Drug dosages
Drug therapy
Ergotamine - adverse effects
Family medical history
Female
Fever
Headaches
Hospitals
Humans
Migraine
Migraine Disorders - drug therapy
NMR
Nuclear magnetic resonance
Pericardial Effusion - chemically induced
Pericardial Effusion - diagnosis
Pericardial Effusion - drug therapy
Pleural Effusion - chemically induced
Pleural Effusion - diagnosis
Pleural Effusion - drug therapy
Pneumonia
Serotonin
Tubulin Modulators - therapeutic use
Vasoconstrictor Agents - adverse effects
Citations: Items that cite this one
Online Access:Get full text
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
Description
Summary:A 83-year-old woman was admitted to hospital with chest pain, fever, dry cough and palpitations. Chest X-ray revealed a pleural effusion, assumed to be caused by cardiac failure and respiratory infection. Despite treatment with antibiotics and diuretics, the pleural effusion increased on chest X-ray and there were signs of pleural and pericardial effusion on computed tomography (CT) scan. Treatment with non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) was not successful. Meanwhile patients' long-term use of ergotamine for migraine was revealed, which is associated with pleuropulmonary and cardiac fibrotic reactions. Tentative treatment with colchicine was successful, with complete resolution of pleural fluid, fever, cough and inflammatory parameters. This case highlights the importance of establishing an ergot alkaloid use registry in unexplained pleuropericardial effusions and supports the use of colchicine as a potential therapeutic approach.
ISSN:1784-3286
2295-3337
DOI:10.2143/ACB.3138