Cardiac myxoma in a 6-year-old child--constitutional symptoms mimicking rheumatic disease and the role of interleukin-6

Acta Paediatr. 1999 Jul;88(7):786-8. doi: 10.1080/08035259950169125.

Abstract

A 6-y-old girl with right atrial myxoma presented with remittent fever attacks, general arthralgia and laboratory investigations mimicking rheumatic or autoimmune disease. Interleukin-6 (IL-6) serum concentration was markedly elevated before and normal after tumour resection, whereas myxoma cells stained negatively for IL-6. IL-6 should be considered a myxoma marker: overproduction by myxoma cells and consecutive systemic passage are assumed to cause immunological features.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Biomarkers, Tumor / blood
  • Child
  • Echocardiography
  • Female
  • Heart Atria / surgery*
  • Heart Neoplasms / diagnosis*
  • Heart Neoplasms / surgery
  • Humans
  • Immunohistochemistry
  • Interleukin-6 / blood*
  • Myxoma / diagnosis*
  • Myxoma / surgery
  • Rheumatic Diseases / diagnosis*

Substances

  • Biomarkers, Tumor
  • Interleukin-6