Pericarditis associated with longstanding mesalazine administration in a patient.

An adult male patient was admitted for a pericardial effusion occurring during a longstanding mesalazine treatment for Crohn's disease. The relation between the drug's administration, symptoms and ECG changes suggests that the pericardial injury was caused by mesalazine. Also, the rapid resolution of clinical signs and ECG changes following the drug withdrawal were in agreement with this hypothesis. Eight months later, the patient remains well and symptom-free, and ECG and echocardiographic control were normal.