An Unusual Case of Constrictive Pericarditis in a Young Patient With Childhood History of Successfully Treated Kawasaki Disease

Abstract

Kawasaki disease, also known as mucocutaneous lymph node syndrome, is a disease in which blood vessels in the body become inflamed. It occurs usually in childhood and one of the well-known cardiac complications is coronary artery aneurysm which occurs usually after 1 - 2 years. Constrictive pericarditis is not a known sequela of Kawasaki disease. We present a case of a 21-year-old white male referred to the emergency department by his gastroenterologist after an outpatient abdominal ultrasound obtained for elevated liver enzymes revealed ascites and bilateral pleural effusion. He has background history of Kawasaki disease at the age of 8 years that was treated with aspirin and intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) without any cardiac complications based on echocardiogram obtained after treatment. Autoimmune screen was negative. He had echocardiogram which revealed evidence of constrictive pericarditis. J Med Cases. 2018;9(7):211-214 doi: https://doi.org/10.14740/jmc3071w