Diagnosis of systemic lupus erythematosus in an elderly male by pericardial fluid cytology: a case report.

Although pleural and pericardial effusions are common and may rarely be the initial manifestation of disease, there are few reports of SLE diagnosed in a cytopathology laboratory. We describe an unusual case of SLE in a 75-year-old man who presented with cardiac tamponade. Cytologic examination of the pericardial fluid revealed numerous LE cells and led to the diagnosis of SLE. This case illustrates the importance of careful evaluation of a serous effusion for LE cells in patients of either gender and of any age.