ACUTE PERICARDIAL-EFFUSION AND ACUTE-RENAL-FAILURE ASSOCIATION - ETIOLOGIC DIAGNOSES AND OUTCOME IN 11 CASES

OBJECTIVE: To assess the etiologic diagnoses and outcome of acute peri cardial effusion associated to acute renal renal failure. PATIENTS AND METHODS: A retrospective study from 1978 to 1996 in a 10 bed medical/ surgical intensive care unit included 11 patients who have an acute pe ricardial effusion associated with an acute renal failure. RESULTS: Et iological diagnoses were systemic lupus with extracapillary glomerulon ephritis (n=2), systemic fibrosis with obstructive renal failure (n=2) , anticoagulation accident with hemodynamic renal failure (n=2), lung adenocarcinoma (n=2), adenocarcinoma of undetermined origin (n=1), sys temic polyarteritis nodosa (n=1), and Wegener granulomatosis (n=1). In tensive care unit deaths was 4, including 2 cases of neoplasic origin. DISCUSSION: Despite infection or malignancy being claimed as the lead ing causes of acute pericardial effusion, when associated to acute ren al failure other etiologic diagnoses, such connectivite tissue disease or vasculitis, must be evoked that prompt specific treatment and coul d prevent unfavorable evolution. Neoplasic causes were characterised b y recidiving pericardial effusion and a high mortality rate.