Table 1

Results of laboratory investigations

Test	Significant results
CBC	Mild anaemia, thrombocytosis and normal white cell count throughout hospital course
CMP	Mild transaminitis resolved
ESR	Elevated at approximately 3× the upper limit of normal
CRP	Elevated at approximately 6× the upper limit of normal
Troponins	Negative ×6
Microbiology
Blood cultures	Negative ×2
Urine cultures	Negative
AFB sputum cultures	MAC in 4 samples out of 5
AFB pericardial fluid culture	MAC in 2 samples out of 3
AFB pericardial tissue cultures	Negative
Anaerobic and aerobic pericardial fluid cultures	Negative ×2
Anaerobic and aerobic pericardial tissue cultures	Negative
PCR and gene sequencing for Mycobacterium tuberculosis on sputum and pericardial fluid	Negative
PCR and gene sequencing for MAC on sputum, pericardial fluid or pericardial tissue	Not performed as MAC was already growing in several samples of sputum and pericardial fluid
Histology
Histopathological report on pericardial tissue and intrapericardial debris	Multiple fragments of benign pericardial tissues with inflammatory changes, and necrotising granulomas of the lymph nodes of the attached adipose tissue No malignancy identified No AFB and no fungal elements identified on Ziehl-Neelsen or silver stains, respectively
Malignancy workup
Pericardial fluid cytology	Negative ×2
Pericardial fluid biopsy pathology	No evidence of malignancy
Flow cytometry	Negative ×2
Breast nodule biopsy	Benign fibroadenoma with sclerosing adenosis
Rheumatology/immunology/serology work-up
ANA	Negative
RA latex	Negative
IgM levels	Normal
IgG levels	Normal
IgA levels	Normal
HIV	Negative ×2
Hepatitis C	Non-reactive
Hepatitis B	Immune

AFB, acid-fast bacilli; ANA, antinuclear antibody; CBC, complete blood count; CMP, complete metabolic panel; CRP, C reactive protein; ESR, erythrocyte sedimentation rate; MAC, Mycobacterium avium complex; RA, rheumatoid arthritis.