An intracardial mass in a young Syrian refugee

BMJ Case Rep. 2015 Jul 6:2015:bcr2015210180. doi: 10.1136/bcr-2015-210180.

Abstract

A 35-year-old previously healthy man presented with orogenital ulcerations, high fever, weight loss and leg thrombosis. Antibiotics were ineffective. His symptoms persisted and 3 years later he suffered from exertional dyspnoea. Inflammatory markers were elevated and all cultures were negative. CT of the thorax showed bilateral pulmonary embolism and a mass attached to the septum of the right ventricle, as well as an occluded vena cava inferior. Histology of the cardiac mass revealed a thrombus. The pulmonary embolisation progressed despite treatment with full-dose dalteparin. After being diagnosed with Behçet's disease, a multisystemic large-vessel vasculitis, and treated with high-dose prednisolone and cyclophosphamide, his ulcerations and his symptoms of dyspnoea disappeared.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Behcet Syndrome / complications*
  • Behcet Syndrome / diagnosis
  • Behcet Syndrome / drug therapy
  • Cyclophosphamide / therapeutic use
  • Dyspnea / diagnosis
  • Dyspnea / drug therapy
  • Dyspnea / etiology*
  • Heart Diseases / diagnosis
  • Heart Diseases / etiology*
  • Heart Diseases / pathology
  • Heart Ventricles / pathology
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Prednisolone / therapeutic use
  • Pulmonary Embolism / diagnosis
  • Pulmonary Embolism / etiology*
  • Refugees
  • Syria
  • Thrombosis / diagnosis
  • Thrombosis / etiology*
  • Ulcer / diagnosis
  • Ulcer / drug therapy
  • Ulcer / etiology*
  • Vena Cava, Inferior / pathology

Substances

  • Cyclophosphamide
  • Prednisolone