Cardiac tamponade preceding adrenal insufficiency--an unusual presentation of Addison's disease: a report of two cases.

Two cases of young healthy males presenting with cardiac tamponade and developing clinical adrenal insufficiency within a few weeks are described. On presentation they had a brisk inflammatory response with complement activation. Both had signs of subclinical hepatitis, and both have later shown evidence of thyroid involvement. The possibility of a connection between pericarditis and adrenal insufficiency is discussed.