Pericardial tamponade and limited cutaneous systemic sclerosis (CREST syndrome)

A patient with limited cutaneous systemic sclerosis (ISSc) is described who presented with acute chest pain, dyspnoea and signs of cardiac tamponade requiring pericardiocentesis although the quantity of effusion was moderate. The haemodynamic data recorded from this patient suggested that pericardial fibrosis may be a major contributing predisposing factor to pericardial tamponade, while the cause of pericarditis and effusion remain obscure.