Successful treatment of sclerosing mediastinitis with a high serum IgG4 level

Gen Thorac Cardiovasc Surg. 2007 Oct;55(10):431-3. doi: 10.1007/s11748-007-0154-2.

Abstract

Sclerosing mediastinitis is not a common condition in the thoracic cavity and is difficult to cure. Several medications have been used; however, most of the cases do not achieve satisfactory results, and the most successful treatment is operative resection. We report the first case of IgG4-related sclerosing mediastinitis that showed IgG4-positive plasma cells infiltrated into the fibrous tissue and a high serum IgG4 level. The patient clearly showed remission of the symptoms after steroid therapy. Our findings suggest that the serum IgG4 level is a good selection indicator for steroid therapy in sclerosing mediastinitis.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Female
  • Glucocorticoids / therapeutic use*
  • Humans
  • Immunoglobulin G / blood*
  • Mediastinitis / drug therapy*
  • Mediastinitis / immunology
  • Mediastinitis / pathology
  • Middle Aged
  • Plasma Cells / pathology*
  • Prednisolone / therapeutic use*
  • Sclerosis
  • Tomography, X-Ray Computed
  • Treatment Outcome

Substances

  • Glucocorticoids
  • Immunoglobulin G
  • Prednisolone