Minocycline-induced pericardial effusion

OBJECTIVE: To describe a reversible hypersensitivity reaction characterized by pericardial effusion and acute mixed liver injury in a woman treated wi th minocycline. CASE SUMMARY: A 39-year-old white woman developed dyspnea and chest pain wi th pericardial effusion on echocardiography approximately 20 days after sta rting minocycline treatment. Additional manifestations consisted of eosinop hilia and liver injury. No lung, skin, or joint involvement was noted antin uclear antibody testing was negative. DISCUSSION: Minocycline has been associated with rare but severe hypersensi tivity reaction sand autoimmune disorders, generally involving the lungs, s kin, or joints. We observed a patient with an unusual minocycline-induced r eaction wit pericardial effusion and acute mixed liver injury. The number o f spontaneously reported cases in national and international databases indi cates that minocycline-induced pericardial effusion is ver rare as a main c linical manifestation. CONCLUSIONS: clinicians should be aware of the possibility of pericardial e ffusion without lung, skin, or joint involvement as an adverse effect of mi nocycline.