Open AccessChyliform effusion without pleural thickening in a patient with rheumatoid arthritis: A case report
Author(s) -
Crina Mureșan,
Lucian Mureşan,
Ioana Grigorescu,
Dan L. Dumitrașcu
Publication year - 2015
Publication title -
lung india
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.457
H-Index - 25
eISSN - 0974-598X
pISSN - 0970-2113
DOI - 10.4103/0970-2113.168127
Subject(s) - medicine , rheumatoid arthritis , pleural effusion , leflunomide , pleural thickening , heart failure , thickening , effusion , surgery , radiology , cardiology , chemistry , polymer science
Pseudochylothorax, also known as chyliform effusion rich in cholesterol crystals, is a rare entity that sometimes occurs in long-standing rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and is usually associated with thickened pleura. There have only been a few case reports in the literature on pseudochylothorax unassociated with pleural thickening and with a short duration of articular symptoms in patients with RA. We report the case of a 70-year-old male patient with a history of RA and heart failure due to severe aortic stenosis, who presented with signs and symptoms of decompensated heart failure due to a moderate right-sided pleural effusion that was consequently proved to be pseudochylothorax unassociated with pleural thickening on chest computed tomography (CT) scan. The patient's outcome was favorable after thoracocentesis was carried out and leflunomide was added to the standard heart failure treatment.