Pericardial effusion in the course of Fabry disease cardiomyopathy: a case report

BACKGROUND: Fabry disease (FD) is an X-chromosome-linked inherited disorder of glycosphingolipid metabolism due to deficient or absent lysosomal α-galactosidase A activity. CASE SUMMARY: A 51-year-old Japanese woman with a previous diagnosis of FD presented with pericardial effusion. The exudative pericardial fluid contained globotriaosylsphingosine. Left ventricular hypertrophy progressed despite regular administration of agalsidase alfa every 2 weeks over a 7-year period, with increases in plasma levels of globotriaosylsphingosine and interleukin (IL)-18. In addition, the IL-6 level in the pericardial fluid was markedly higher than that in plasma. DISCUSSION: This case suggests that elevated IL-6 and IL-18 levels in pericardial fluid and plasma indicate the severity of FD cardiomyopathy.