Colchicine: An effective treatment for refractory malignant pericardial effusion

We report a patient with AL amyloidosis and chemoresistant light-chain mult iple myeloma who developed a progressive malignant pericardial effusion lea ding to cardiac tamponade. Despite pericardiocentesis and surgical interven tion, the pericardial effusion failed to resolve. The administration of ora l colchicine produced symptomatic relief within 5 days, with the resolution of pericardial effusion after 14 days of treatment. As the administration of colchicine is simple and the side-effect is usually minimal, further stu dies are warranted to establish the feasibility of using colchicine to trea t malignant pericardial effusion. Copyright (C) 2001 S. Karger AG, Basel.