Pericardial Tamponade Due to Methotrexate Toxicity

Methotrexate (MTX) is a folic acid analog that inhibits the growth of rapidly proliferating cells, such as bone marrow or cancer cells, through its anti-inflammatory and anti-proliferative properties. With these characteristics, using MTX in the treatment of moderate or severe psoriatic arthritis (PsA) results in a significant improvement in the health of patients with this condition. Although MTX has many side effects, pericardial tamponade is a very rare complication. Rapidly progressing tamponade is known to be associated with high morbidity and mortality. Here, we present a case of pericardial tamponade in a 69-year-old female patient due to MTX use and its possible facilitating effect.