DOI: https://doi.org/10.36347/sjmcr.2026.v14i03.064

Pages: 582-588

CREST syndrome is a limited form of systemic sclerosis, characterized by five main symptoms: calcium deposits under the skin, blood vessel problems causing discoloration of the fingers [Raynaud's phenomenon], esophageal insufficiency, hardening of the fingers, and dilated blood vessels in the skin. In Mexico, 1.7 to 2.6 cases are registered per 10,000 new patients with skin diseases. It is more common in women, with an average ratio of 2 to 4, and the most frequent age of onset is between 30 and 50 years. Pericardial involvement in systemic sclerosis is usually mild and asymptomatic, with symptomatic pericardial disease reported in only 7% to 20% of patients. Echocardiography is the primary technique for the diagnosis, monitoring, and treatment of pericardial effusion. However, large pericardial effusions and cardiac tamponade are rare and associated with a poor prognosis, with a mortality rate as high as 55%. For patients deemed non-responders to first-line dual therapy, corticosteroids are added to the treatment regimen; in cases of medical treatment failure and pericardial constriction without pericarditis, pericardiectomy should be performed.