Case Report

A case of familial recurrent pericarditis with its relapse suppressed by colchicine

  • Vedat Okutan
  • Yılmaz Yozgat
  • S. Ümit Sarıcı
  • Mustafa Gülgün
  • Oğuz Afyoncu
  • Oğuzhan Babacan
  • Erkan Kuralay
  • M. Koray Lenk

Received Date: 06.06.2006 Accepted Date: 22.01.2007 Gulhane Med J 2007;49(3):183-186

The recurrence rate of acute pericarditis is 15% to 30% in adulthood, whereas it is rare in children with cases, most of which are case reports. The cause is usually idiopathic although some cases have been associated with chronic inflammatory diseases and cardiac operations. Recurrent pericarditis with familial involvement has been reported in only a few cases. Colchicine has been in use in the prevention of recurrent pericarditis relapses for the last 18 years. A 14-year-old girl with recurrent pericarditis who has had familial (parental) involvement and been managed (under control) with colchicine treatment is presented in this paper.

Keywords: Child, colchicine, recurrent pericarditis