High-dose cytarabine associated hemorrhagic pericardial effusion in a child with acute myeloid leukemia

An Unusual Case of Effusive-Constrictive Pericarditis in the Intensive Care Unit

“…Previous literature reported hemorrhagic pericardial effusion in patients receiving either high-dose cytarabine (≥1,000 mg/m 2 /day) for more than 2 days or low-dose cytarabine (≤200 mg/m 2 /day) for more than 1 week. 9 Our patient received intravenous cytarabine of 100 mg/m 2 /day for 3 days prior to the event of cardiac tamponade, making cytarabine an unlikely culprit. Our patient was also given daunorubicin at a standard dose of 90 mg/m 2 /day for 2 days.…”