Cardiac tamponade: an initial presentation of SLE.

A 45-year-old woman presented with dyspnoea, chest pain, orthopnoea and bilateral leg oedema. On admission, she was found to have nephrotic syndrome and global pericardial effusion with impending tamponade for which pericardiocentesis was performed. The diagnosis of systemic lupus erythematosus was made based on the clinical and biochemical findings. She was also started on dialysis and immunosuppressants for lupus nephritis.