FULMINANT HEPATIC-FAILURE DUE TO CARDIAC-TAMPONADE ASSOCIATED WITH MIXED CONNECTIVE-TISSUE DISEASE

We describe a 42-year old Japanese woman with mixed connective tissue disease (MCTD) who developed fulminant hepatic failure and hepatic enc ephalopathy. Massive pericardial effusion accompanying cardiac tampona de was shown by echocardiography. The hepatic failure was considered t o be caused by a low cardiac output state because of cardiac tamponade , which might be due to cardiac involvement of MCTD. This is a rare ca se, showing an unusual progressive course in MCTD.