Myopericarditis in a pregnant woman with acute promyelocytic leukemia

Acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL) is a form of acute leukemia with a characteristic translocation, t(15;17), and is considered a hematologic emergency, typically treated with all-trans retinoic acid and an anthracycline. We present the case of a young, gravid woman who was diagnosed with APL in the third trimester, initiated typical treatment, and suffered uncommon cardiac complications.<. Learning objective: Myopericarditis is not a side effect often encountered in the management of acute promyelocytic leukemia with alpha t-retinoic acid, and its mechanism is incompletely understood but possibly related to the differentiation syndrome. This complication can be effectively treated with systemic glucocorticoids, supportive care, and withdrawal of the offending agent, even in the pregnant population>.