Case Report
Parainfluenza 3 Respiratory Infection Associated with Pericardial Effusion in a Very Low Birthweight Infant
Table 1
Diagnostic tests performed.
| | Test | Results |
| | Blood test before the diagnosis of the pericardial effusion, during sudden clinical deterioration | Leukocytosis 15.08 cells/mm3 (5–14.5 cells/mm3; 75% lymphocytes, 12% neutrophils); hemoglobin 12.5 g/dl (10–13 g/dl) and platelet count 280/mm3 (250–450/mm3). ALT 203 U/L (6–50 U/L), AST 180 U/L (35–140 U/L), C-reactive protein (CRP) 3, 4 mg/dl (<2 mg/dl); procalcitonine 0.3 ng/ml (<0.5 ng/ml) |
| | Blood culture | Negative |
| | Urine culture | Negative |
| | Cerebrospinal fluid culture | Negative |
| | Chest X-ray | Bilateral pulmonary infiltrates and significant cardiomegaly |
| | Echocardiography | Diffuse pericardial effusion affecting predominantly right chambers. Ejection fraction: 76%; shortening fraction: 41%; LVO: 355 ml/kg/min; RVO: 395 ml/kg/min |
| | PCR in nasopharyngeal swab | Positive for parainfluenza 3 virus |
| | Blood tests after the resolution of the pericardial effusion | Leukocytes 9.8 cells/mm3(74.4% lymphocytes, 15% neutrophils); hemoglobin 13.1 g/dl and platelet count 255/mm3. ALT 89 U/L/AST 73 U/L, C-reactive protein (CRP) 1.7 mg/dl; procalcitonine 0.07 ng/ml |
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