Hemopericardium in a Patient With Systemic Lupus Erythematosus

Abstract

The Clinicopathological Conference in Circulation for July 21, 1998,1 was fascinating and ably discussed, with a useful review of the literature. I think one might supplement observations that might have been made during the patient’s hospital course and might have been acted on. There is no mention of the neck veins, which may have been difficult to “read,” but the echocardiographic description of the pericardial effusion includes “without evidence of hemodynamic compromise.” Quite clearly, this indicates absence of chamber collapses. However, collapses need not be present even in florid tamponade and particularly in some cases with chamber hypertrophy.2 Similarly, the absence of pulsus …