Crohn's disease and pericarditis.

A patient is described who developed acute pericarditis during a severe first attack of Crohn's disease. The opportunity was taken to measure levels of circulating immune complexes, both during the acute phase of the illness and during convalescence; no significant change in these levels from normal values was found. The Crohn's disease and the associated pericarditis responded to systemic corticosteroid therapy, and no relapse has occurred during 14 months of follow-up.