Diagnosis and treatment of pericarditis

Interleukin-1 Blockers in Recurrent and Acute Pericarditis: State of the Art and Future Directions

Diseases of the pericardium encompass a spectrum of conditions, including acute and recurrent pericarditis, where inflammation plays a pivotal role in the pathogenesis and clinical manifestations. Anti-inflammatory therapy indeed forms the cornerstone of treating these conditions: NSAIDs, colchicine, and corticosteroids (as a second-line treatment) are recommended by current guidelines. However, these medications come with several contraindications and are not devoid of adverse effects. In recent years, there has been an increased focus on the role of the inflammasome and potential therapeutic targets. Recurrent pericarditis also shares numerous characteristics with other autoinflammatory diseases, in which interleukin-1 antagonists have already been employed with good efficacy and safety. The objective of this review is to summarize the available studies on the use of anti-IL-1 drugs both in acute and recurrent pericarditis.

Prevalence of Pericardial Late Gadolinium Enhancement in Patients After Cardiac Surgery: Clinical and Histological Correlations

BACKGROUND

Pericardial late gadolinium enhancement (LGE) is usually associated with active pericarditis, but it is not infrequently found in patients after cardiac surgery even a long time after the intervention. The clinical relevance of this finding and its histological correlates are unknown. We sought to determine the prevalence of chronic pericardial LGE in patients after cardiac surgery.

METHODS

All consecutive patients with previous cardiac surgery, who were referred to cardiovascular magnetic resonance between January 2017 and December 2021 were enrolled in the study. Cardiovascular magnetic resonance examination protocol was adapted to clinical indication but always included standard LGE acquisitions. Two independent observers blinded to clinical data assessed the presence of pericardial enhancement on LGE sequences. Fifteen patients underwent cardiac reintervention and pericardial biopsies were obtained. The primary study end point was to assess the prevalence of pericardial enhancement after cardiac surgery and identify possible determinants. The secondary end point was to correlate pericardial enhancement with clinical symptoms and histopathology.

RESULTS

Two hundred four patients were included in the study. The median time between surgery and cardiovascular magnetic resonance was 160 months (35-226 months). Pericardial LGE was observed in 90 patients (44%). All patients were asymptomatic, and no specific treatment for pericarditis was started. All patients remained asymptomatic at a 1-year clinical follow-up. Pericardial LGE was significantly correlated with the number of previous surgeries (P=0.03). Pericardial fibrosis was detected in all 15 pericardial biopsy specimens; pericardial LGE was present in 7 patients (47%) who underwent biopsy. Histological signs of low-grade inflammation were detected in 6 patients (40%) with severe, circumferential pericardial LGE but in no patient without pericardial enhancement.

CONCLUSIONS

Pericardial LGE is a frequent finding even several years after cardiac surgery. Its histological correlate is a chronic subclinical post-pericardiotomy inflammation.

Risk of incident pericarditis after coronavirus disease 2019 recovery: a systematic review and meta-analysis

AIMS

Data regarding the risk of incident pericarditis in coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) recovered patients are lacking. We determined the risk of incident pericarditis after COVID-19 infection by performing a systematic review and meta-analysis of available data.

METHODS

Following the PRISMA guidelines, we searched MEDLINE and Scopus to locate all articles published up to 11 February 2023 reporting the risk of incident pericarditis in patients who had recovered from COVID-19 infection compared to noninfected patients (controls) defined as those who did not experience the disease over the same follow-up period. Pericarditis risk was evaluated using the Mantel-Haenszel random effects models with hazard ratio (HR) as the effect measure with 95% confidence interval (CI) while heterogeneity was assessed using Higgins I2 statistic.

RESULTS

Overall, 16 412 495 patients (mean age 55.1 years, 76.8% males), of whom 1 225 715 had COVID-19 infection, were included. Over a mean follow-up of 9.6 months, pericarditis occurred in 3.40 (95% CI: 3.39-3.41) out of 1000 patients who survived COVID-19 infection compared with 0.82 (95% CI: 0.80-0.83) out of 1000 control patients. Recovered COVID-19 patients presented a higher risk of incident pericarditis (HR: 1.95, 95% CI: 1.56-2.43, I2 : 71.1%) compared with controls. Meta-regression analysis showed a significant direct relationship for the risk of incident pericarditis using HT ( P  = 0.02) and male sex ( P  = 0.02) as moderators, while an indirect association was observed when age ( P  = 0.01) and the follow-up length ( P  = 0.02) were adopted as moderating variables.

CONCLUSIONS

Recovered COVID-19 patients have a higher risk of pericarditis compared with patients from the general population.

Management of acute pericarditis

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

Provide an update on current management and most recent evidence in the treatment of pediatric pericarditis.

RECENT FINDINGS

While treatment of acute pericarditis has not significantly changed over the last decade, management of recurrent acute pericarditis, with increased attention to autoinflammation as a causal mechanism, has evolved substantially. This includes clinical trial evidence that newer medications targeting interleukin-1 receptors are effective in recurrent forms of pericarditis. In addition, advanced imaging utilizing cardiac magnetic resonance has emerged as a particularly effective way to detect ongoing pericardial inflammation in support of more difficult-to-treat patients.

SUMMARY

Recent advances in acute and recurrent pericarditis management have allowed for a more tailored approach to the individual patient. Yet, unresolved questions require further research.

Pericarditis caused by Proteus mirabilis in sheep

Pericarditis means inflammation in the pericardial sac. Pericarditis is divided into three categories based on morphology, including fibrinous, purulent, and constrictive. In the present study, a 7-month-old male Ghezel breed sheep was examined for low weighting rate for three months. Tachypnea, tachycardia, heart friction sound, absence of fever and normal appetite were recorded in the clinical examination. In the patient's history, there was a history of perforated chest trauma behind the left scapula about three months ago. After the echocardiography examination and bacteriology procedures, purulent pericarditis caused by Proteus mirabilis was diagnosed. The bacterium was analysed using genome sequencing and new strain called Abhar114 was diagnosed. This is the first report of pericarditis caused by Proteus mirabilis in sheep.

Pericarditis due to Campylobacter coli infection: a case report

Campylobacter spp. is a gram-negative bacillus that causes infectious enteritis and consists of several species, including Campylobacter jejuni, Campylobacter coli, and Campylobacter fetus. Although C. jejuni and C. coli cause infectious enteritis primarily in immunocompetent hosts, C. fetus causes extraintestinal infections such as septicemia, meningitis, and perinatal infections in immunocompromised hosts, as well as myopericarditis in rare cases. Only a few cases of infectious myo(peri)carditis associated with C. coli in immunocompetent hosts have been reported. These studies concentrated on antecedent C. coli enterocolitis and never demonstrated a positive culture in the pericardial fluid.A 72-year-old Japanese man presented with a 2-week fever, cough, and vomiting lasting. He was on hemodialysis for polycystic kidney disease, as well as medication for diabetes and hypertension. A chest computed tomography (CT) scan and a transthoracic echocardiogram revealed bilateral pleural fluid and large pericardial fluid at the time of admission. C. coli was identified from blood culture samples and blood-tinged pericardial fluid. He was successfully treated with antibacterial chemotherapy as well as pericardial fluid drainage and was discharged from the hospital with no complications.In this case, the presence of C. coli in the pericardial fluid confirmed the diagnosis of C. coli pericarditis. C. coli may cause septic pericarditis in immunocompromised hosts, despite typically causing only enteritis.

Subacute Cardiac Tamponade With Massive Pericardial Effusion

Subacute cardiac tamponade is a diagnostic challenge for clinicians because the symptoms would be non-specific upon presentation. The onset of cardiac tamponade may vary depending on the rate of accumulation and compensatory mechanism of the fibroelastic pericardial sac. In the case of subacute tamponade with effusion without cardiac arrest, it is usually challenging for the clinician to make the decision for urgent drainage. Usually, cardiac tamponade is treated as a medical emergency, and it occurs when fluid accumulated in the pericardial sac compresses the heart causing haemodynamic compromise and cardiac arrest. In our case, a 40-year-old man presented with a seven-day history of significant shortness of breath. He presented to the emergency department and the chest X-ray showed a large cardiac silhouette, which suggested a large pericardial effusion. ECG revealed minor changes in the heights of QRS complexes. Point-of-care echocardiography showed a large pericardial effusion, and he was immediately admitted to the cardiac unit. Urgent departmental echocardiography confirmed massive pericardial effusion with features of subacute tamponade. The patient was sent to the cardiac catheterisation lab and a total of approximately 4.2 litres of pericardial effusion was drained, while he was closely monitored for the risk of rapid physiologic decompensation after drainage. Pericardial fluid culture did not show any evidence of microorganism growth. The connective tissue disease screen was negative. CT scan did not show any stigmata of occult malignancy or features of infection. The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) polymerase chain reaction test was negative. He had rapid symptomatic improvement after the effusion was drained and recovery was uneventful. He was discharged from the hospital with a follow-up plan. We concluded that it was a case of subacute cardiac tamponade due to a massive pericardial effusion of idiopathic or subclinical viral causes. Clinical presentation of subacute cardiac tamponade could be easily missed, and a detailed assessment of the effusion with echocardiography was very helpful in making decisions for the management.

Deciphering the Basis of Molecular Biology of Selected Cardiovascular Diseases: A View on Network Medicine

Cardiovascular diseases are the leading cause of death across the world. For decades, researchers have been studying the causes of cardiovascular disease, yet many of them remain undiscovered or poorly understood. Network medicine is a recently expanding, integrative field that attempts to elucidate this issue by conceiving of disease as the result of disruptive links between multiple interconnected biological components. Still in its nascent stages, this revolutionary application of network science facilitated a number of important discoveries in complex disease mechanisms. As methodologies become more advanced, network medicine harbors the potential to expound on the molecular and genetic complexities of disease to differentiate how these intricacies govern disease manifestations, prognosis, and therapy. This is of paramount importance for confronting the incredible challenges of current and future cardiovascular disease research. In this review, we summarize the principal molecular and genetic mechanisms of common cardiac pathophysiologies as well as discuss the existing knowledge on therapeutic strategies to prevent, halt, or reverse these pathologies.

A Real Pandora's Box in Pandemic Times: A Narrative Review on the Acute Cardiac Injury Due to COVID-19

The intricate relationship between severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) and the cardiovascular system is an extensively studied pandemic topic, as there is an ever-increasing amount of evidence that reports a high prevalence of acute cardiac injury in the context of viral infection. In patients with Coronavirus disease 2019, COVID-19, a significant increase in serum levels of cardiac troponin or other various biomarkers was observed, suggesting acute cardiac injury, thus predicting both a severe course of the disease and a poor outcome. Pathogenesis of acute cardiac injury is not yet completely elucidated, though several mechanisms are allegedly involved, such as a direct cardiomyocyte injury, oxygen supply-demand inequity caused by hypoxia, several active myocardial depressant factors during sepsis, and endothelial dysfunction due to the hyperinflammatory status. Moreover, the increased levels of plasma cytokines and catecholamines and a significantly enhanced prothrombotic environment may lead to the destabilization and rupture of atheroma plaques, subsequently triggering an acute coronary syndrome. In the present review, we focus on describing the epidemiology, pathogenesis, and role of biomarkers in the diagnosis and prognosis of patients with acute cardiac injury in the setting of the COVID-19 pandemic. We also explore some novel therapeutic strategies involving immunomodulatory therapy, as well as their role in preventing a severe form of the disease, with both the short-term outcome and the long-term cardiovascular sequelae being equally important in patients with SARS-CoV-2 induced acute cardiac injury.

A Deep Learning Algorithm for Detecting Acute Pericarditis by Electrocardiogram

(1) Background: Acute pericarditis is often confused with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) among patients presenting with acute chest pain in the emergency department (ED). Since a deep learning model (DLM) has been validated to accurately identify STEMI cases via 12-lead electrocardiogram (ECG), this study aimed to develop another DLM for the detection of acute pericarditis in the ED. (2) Methods: This study included 128 ECGs from patients with acute pericarditis and 66,633 ECGs from patients visiting the ED between 1 January 2010 and 31 December 2020. The ECGs were randomly allocated based on patients to the training, tuning, and validation sets, at a 3:1:1 ratio. We used raw ECG signals to train a pericarditis-DLM and used traditional ECG features to train a machine learning model. A human–machine competition was conducted using a subset of the validation set, and the performance of the Philips automatic algorithm was also compared. STEMI cases in the validation set were extracted to analyze the DLM ability of differential diagnosis between acute pericarditis and STEMI using ECG. We also followed the hospitalization events in non-pericarditis cases to explore the meaning of false-positive predictions. (3) Results: The pericarditis-DLM exceeded the performance of all participating human experts and algorithms based on traditional ECG features in the human–machine competition. In the validation set, the pericarditis-DLM could detect acute pericarditis with an area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) of 0.954, a sensitivity of 78.9%, and a specificity of 97.7%. However, our pericarditis-DLM also misinterpreted 10.2% of STEMI ECGs as pericarditis cases. Therefore, we generated an integrating strategy combining pericarditis-DLM and a previously developed STEMI-DLM, which provided a sensitivity of 73.7% and specificity of 99.4%, to identify acute pericarditis in patients with chest pains. Compared to the true-negative cases, patients with false-positive results using this strategy were associated with higher risk of hospitalization within 3 days due to cardiac disorders (hazard ratio (HR): 8.09; 95% confidence interval (CI): 3.99 to 16.39). (4) Conclusions: The AI-enhanced algorithm may be a powerful tool to assist clinicians in the early detection of acute pericarditis and differentiate it from STEMI using 12-lead ECGs.

All that Glitters is not Cholecystitis. A Rare Presentation of Acute Pericarditis Mimicking Cholecystitis and Review of the Literature

Acute pericarditis is the most common inflammatory disorder of the pericardium, responsible for approximately 5% of visits to the emergency departments, concerning chest pain without myocardial infarction. We report a case of a 41-year-old man who presented to our hospital, complaining about retrosternal and epigastrium pain. The transthoracic echocardiogram showed pericardial effusion while the electrocardiogram and laboratory findings revealed acute pericarditis. An abdominal ultrasound revealed gallbladder edema. The pericardial effusion was treated with pericardial catheter insertion, diuretics, and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. This case shows that acute pericarditis can be clinically presented with many ways, one of them being gallbladder edema. Furthermore, in this case-based review we present all cases of simultaneous appearance of pericarditis and acalculous cholecystitis or gallbladder edema.

Recurrent Pericarditis: a Stubborn Opponent Meets New Treatments in 2022

Purpose of Review

Our goal in writing this review was to provide a comprehensive appraisal of current therapies for idiopathic recurrent pericarditis with a particular focus on the newest therapeutic agents. We sought to understand the role of the inflammasome in the pathophysiology of pericarditis and how it informs the use of interleukin-1 (IL-1)-directed therapies.

Recent Findings

The latest research on this topic has focused on the critical role of the NLRP3 (NACHT, leucine-rich repeat, and pyrin domain-containing protein) inflammasome. Very recently, components of the NLRP3 inflammasome were detected by immune staining in pericardial tissue from patients with recurrent idiopathic pericarditis. In a mouse model of pericarditis, anti-IL-1 agents anakinra and rilonacept reduced NLRP3 immunostaining. Subsequent study of these drugs in human subjects with idiopathic recurrent pericarditis demonstrated their efficacy.

Summary

Recurrent idiopathic pericarditis, while relatively rare, poses a continued treatment challenge and contributes to a diminished quality of life for those patients who are afflicted. Recent developments, including an animal model of the disease and the use of IL-1-directed therapies, represent an exciting leap forward in our understanding of treatment targets. These advances offer not only new tools in our fight against this disease, but also the promise of earlier intervention and attenuation of disease morbidity. As our experience with these new agents expands, we can address questions about the ideal timing of introduction of anti-IL-1 therapy and duration of therapy and better understand the potential side effect profile.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s11886-022-01719-z.

Acute Pericarditis: Update

Purpose of Review

Since 2015, when ESC guidelines for the diagnosis and management of pericardial diseases were published, ongoing research has enhanced the current state of knowledge on acute pericarditis. This review is an update on the latest developments in this field.

Recent Findings

In recurrent acute pericarditis, autoinflammation has been included among causative mechanisms restricting the vague diagnoses of “idiopathic” pericarditis. Cardiac magnetic resonance that detects ongoing pericardial inflammation may guide treatment in difficult-to-treat patients. Development of risk scores may assist identification of patients at high risk for complicated pericarditis, who should be closely monitored and aggressively treated. Treatment with IL-1 inhibitors has been proven efficacious in recurrent forms with a good safety profile. Finally, acute pericarditis has recently attracted great interest as it has been reported among side effects post COVID-19 vaccination and may also complicate SARS-CoV-2 infection.

Summary

Recent advancements in acute pericarditis have contributed to a better understanding of the disease allowing a tailored to the individual patient approach. However, there are still unsolved questions that require further research.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s11886-022-01710-8.

Chronic pericardial effusion: current concepts and emerging trends

INTRODUCTION

Pericardial effusion (PEF) is a common and challenging pericardial syndrome with a variety of clinical manifestations ranging from asymptomatic, incidentally uncovered small PEFs, to life-threatening cardiac tamponade.

AREAS COVERED

: This review focuses on the pathophysiology, epidemiology, etiology, classification, clinical findings, diagnostic work-up, management and outcome of PEFs. Particular emphasis has been given on the most recent evidence concerning the contribution of imaging for the detection, differential diagnosis and evaluation of the hemodynamic impact of PEFs on the diastolic filling of the heart. Moreover, simplified algorithms for PEF triage and management have been included.

EXPERT OPINION

The management of patients with PEFs is mainly based on four parameters namely hemodynamic impact on diastolic function, elevation of inflammatory markers, presence of a specific underlying condition known to be associated with PEF and finally size and duration of the effusion. Novel data have contributed to change our view towards large, asymptomatic, "idiopathic" PEFs and dictated a rather conservative approach in most cases. It is also stressed that there is a compelling need for additional research, which is essential for tailored treatments aiming at the improvement of quality of life and containment of health care costs.

Tuberculous Pericarditis—Own Experiences and Recent Recommendations

Tuberculous pericarditis (TBP) accounts for 1% of all forms of tuberculosis and for 1–2% of extrapulmonary tuberculosis. In endemic regions, TBP accounts for 50–90% of effusive pericarditis; in non-endemic, it only accounts for 4%. In the absence of prompt and effective treatment, TBP can lead to very serious sequelae, such as cardiac tamponade, constrictive pericarditis, and death. Early diagnosis of TBP is a cornerstone of effective treatment. The present article summarises the authors’ own experiences and highlights the current status of knowledge concerning the diagnostic and therapeutic algorithm of TBP. Special attention is drawn to new, emerging molecular methods used for confirmation of M. tuberculosis infection as a cause of pericarditis.

Clinical Burden and Unmet Need in Recurrent Pericarditis: A Systematic Literature Review

Inflammation of the pericardium (pericarditis) is characterized by excruciating chest pain. This systematic literature review summarizes clinical, humanistic, and economic burdens in acute, especially recurrent, pericarditis, with a secondary aim of understanding United States treatment patterns and outcomes. Short-term clinical burden is well characterized, but long-term data are limited. Some studies report healthcare resource utilization and economic impact; none measure health-related quality-of-life. Pericarditis is associated with infrequent but potentially life-threatening complications, including cardiac tamponade (weighted average: 12.7% across 10 studies), constrictive pericarditis (1.84%; 9 studies), and pericardial effusion (54.7%; 16 studies). There are no approved pericarditis treatments; treatment guidelines, when available, are inconsistent on treatment course or duration. Most recommend first-line use of conventional treatments, for example, nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drugs with or without colchicine; however, 15-30% of patients experience recurrence. Second-line therapy may involve conventional therapies plus long-term utilization of corticosteroids, despite safety issues and the difficulty of tapering or discontinuation. Other exploratory therapies (eg, azathioprine, immunoglobulin, methotrexate, anakinra) present steroid-sparing options, but none are supported by robust clinical evidence, and some present tolerability challenges that may impact adherence. Pericardiectomy is occasionally pursued in treatment-refractory patients, although data are limited. This lack of an evidence-based treatment pathway for patients with recurrent disease is reflected in readmission rates, for example, 12.2% at 30 days in 1 US study. Patients with continued recurrence and inadequate treatment response need approved, safe, accessible treatments to resolve pericarditis symptoms and reduce recurrence risk without excessive treatment burden.

Follow-Up at 2 years After Emergency Surgery for Constrictive Pericarditis Complicated With Gastrointestinal Bleeding

Chronic constrictive pericarditis (CCP) is one of the common causes of cardiogenic cirrhosis; it is rare for a patient to have both CCP and recurrent black stool, so we consider that CCP causes cardiogenic cirrhosis. Cardiogenic cirrhosis caused portal hypertension which then resulted in gastrointestinal bleeding. Herein, we report a case of a 40-year-old Chinese woman suffering from CCP who had upper gastrointestinal bleed and had to undergo emergency surgery. Two years after the emergency surgery, multiple reexaminations showed significantly improved cardiac functions, hemoglobin, and WBC levels and gastrointestinal functions.

Atrial fibrillation, end-stage renal disease and hemorrhagic pleural-pericarditis

Pericarditis is the most common pericardial disease found in clinical practice, with an incidence of acute pericarditis reported in 27.7 cases per 100,000 subjects per year. Hemodialysis in end stage renal disease (ESRD) is associated with frequent cardiovascular modifications, mostly because of the highly fluctuating levels of potassium, magnesium, ionized calcium, sodium and volume status. The risk of arrhythmias is increased and chronic atrial fibrillation (AF) can be found among approximately 14% of patients. The renal disease combined with arrhythmias increases the risk of systemic thromboembolism but also of bleeding events. Here we present the case of a male patient, with ESRD, recently diagnosed with intradialytic paroxysmal AF for which oral anticoagulation therapy is initiated, but it’s early complicated with hemorrhagic pleural-pericarditis.

Pharmacologic treatment of acute and recurrent pericarditis: a systematic review and meta-analysis of controlled clinical trials

INTRODUCTION

Recurrence is the most frequent complication following acute pericarditis and may occur in 30% patients, rising to 50% in case of multiple recurrences, lack of colchicine treatment or use of glucocorticoids. Available treatments include aspirin or non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), colchicine, glucocorticoids, immunosuppressive agents, immunoglobulins, anti-interleukin-1 (IL-1) agents.

EVIDENCE ACQUISITION

This systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) aimed to assess the efficacy of pharmacological treatments for acute and recurrent pericarditis. Bibliographic databases were searched (PubMed, MEDLINE, Embase, Scopus, and the Cochrane Library) using the terms "acute pericarditis" or "recurrent pericarditis" and "colchicine" or "NSAIDs" or "glucocorticoids" or "immunosuppressive agents" or "immunoglobulins" or "anti-IL1 agents." Random-effects meta-analysis was used to assess the risk of recurrent pericarditis. Publication bias was assessed using the Egger test, and meta-regression was performed to assess sources of heterogeneity.

EVIDENCE SYNTHESIS

Eleven RCTs assessed the efficacy of pharmacological treatments for acute and recurrent pericarditis (colchicine and anti-interleukin-1 agents). Colchicine, assessed in nine RCTs, was effective in the reduction of recurrent pericarditis, compared with standard treatment (17% vs .34%, RR=0.50; 95% CI 0.42-0.60, P<0.001), without any differences according to clinical setting (i.e. acute pericarditis, recurrent pericarditis, post-pericardiotomy syndrome; P=0.58). Anti-interleukin-1 agents (anakinra, rilonacept), assessed in two RCT, were effective in the reduction of recurrences, compared with placebo (10% vs.78%, RR=0.14; 95% CI 0.05-0.35, P<0.001).

CONCLUSIONS

A correct pharmacological management of pericarditis is key to prevent recurrences. Colchicine is the mainstay of treatment in acute and recurrent pericarditis, while anti-IL1 agents are a valuable option in case of recurrent pericarditis refractory to conventional drugs.

A risk score for pericarditis recurrence

BACKGROUND

Currently, we remain uncertain about which patients are at increased risk for recurrent pericarditis. We developed a risk score for pericarditis recurrence in patients with acute pericarditis.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

We prospectively recruited 262 patients with a first episode of acute pericarditis. Baseline patients' demographics, clinical, imaging and laboratory data were collected. Patients were followed up for a median of 51 months (interquartile range 21-71) for recurrence. Variables with <10% missingness were entered into multivariable logistic regression models with stepwise elimination to explore independent predictors of recurrence. The final model performance was assessed by the c-index whereas model's calibration and optimism-corrected c-index were evaluated after 10-fold cross-validation.

RESULTS

We identified six independent predictors for pericarditis recurrence, that is age, effusion size, platelet count (negative predictors) and reduced inferior vena cava collapse, in-hospital use of corticosteroids and heart rate (positive predictors). The final model had good performance for recurrence, c-index 0.783 (95% CI 0.725-0.842), while the optimism-corrected c-index after cross-validation was 0.752. Based on these variables, we developed a risk score point system for recurrence (0-22 points) with equally good performance (c-index 0.740, 95% CI 0.677-0.803). Patients with a low score (0-7 points) had 21.3% risk for recurrence, while those with high score (≥12 points) had a 69.8% risk for recurrence. The score was predictive of recurrence among most patient subgroups.

CONCLUSIONS

A simple risk score point system based on 6 variables can be used to predict the individualized risk for pericarditis recurrence among patients with a first episode of acute pericarditis.

Pericarditis in patients with COVID-19: a systematic review

AIMS

We performed a systematic review to summarize the clinical features, diagnostic methods, treatment, and outcomes of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) patients with pericarditis.

METHODS

We searched electronic databases from inception to 17 December 2020. Studies that reported clinical data on patients with COVID-19 and pericarditis were included. Descriptive statistics were used for categorical and continuous variables [mean ± standard deviation or median (interquartile range)]. As an exploratory analysis, differences between patients with acute pericarditis and myopericarditis were compared.

RESULTS

A total of 33 studies (32 case reports and 1 case series) involving 34 patients were included. The mean age was 51.6 ± 19.5 years and 62% of patients were men. Sixty-two percentage of patients were diagnosed with myopericarditis. The most frequent electrocardiographic pattern (56%) was diffuse ST-elevation and PR depression. Pericardial effusion and cardiac tamponade were reported in 76 and 35% of cases, respectively. The median values of C-reactive protein [77 mg/dl (12-177)] and white blood cells [12 335 cells/μl (5625-16 500)] were above the normal range. Thirty-eight percent and 53% of patients were treated with nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) and colchicine, respectively. These drugs were more frequently used in patients with acute pericarditis compared with myopericarditis. The in-hospital mortality was 6% without a significant difference between both groups.

CONCLUSION

Our review shows that COVID-19 patients with pericarditis had similar clinical features to other viral cardiotropic infections. However, NSAIDs and colchicine were used in half or less of the cases. Overall, the short-term prognosis was good across groups.

US Database Study of Clinical Burden and Unmet Need in Recurrent Pericarditis

Background

Patients with recurrent pericarditis (RP) may develop complications, multiple recurrences, or inadequate treatment response. This study aimed to characterize disease burden and unmet needs in RP.

Methods and Results

This retrospective US database analysis included newly diagnosed patients with RP with ≥24 months of continuous history following their first pericarditis episode. RP was defined as ≥2 pericarditis episodes ≥28 days apart. Some patients had ≥2 recurrences, while others had a single recurrence with a serious complication, ie, constrictive pericarditis, cardiac tamponade, or a large pericardial effusion with pericardiocentesis/pericardial window. Among these patients with multiple recurrences and/or complications, some had features relating to treatment history, including long‐term corticosteroid use (corticosteroids started within 30 days of flare, continuing ≥90 consecutive days) or inadequate treatment response (pericarditis recurring despite corticosteroids and/or colchicine, or other drugs [excluding NSAIDs] within 30 days of flare, or prior pericardiectomy). Patients (N=2096) had hypertension (60%), cardiomegaly (9%), congestive heart failure (17%), atrial fibrillation (16%), autoimmune diseases (18%), diabetes mellitus (21%), renal disease (20%), anxiety (21%), and depression (14%). Complications included pericardial effusion (50%), cardiac tamponade (9%), and constrictive pericarditis (4%). Pharmacotherapy included colchicine (51%), NSAIDs (40%), and corticosteroids (30%), often in combination. This study estimates 37 000 US patients with RP; incidence was 6.0/100 000/year (95% CI, 5.6‒6.3), and prevalence was 11.2/100 000 (95% CI, 10.6‒11.7).

Conclusions

Patients with RP may have multiple recurrences and/or complications, often because of inadequate treatment response and persistent underlying disease. Corticosteroid use is frequent despite known side‐effect risks, potentially exacerbated by prevalent comorbidities. Substantial clinical burden and lack of effective treatments underscore the high unmet need.

New Approaches to Management of Pericardial Effusions

Purpose of Review

Pericardial effusion is a challenging pericardial syndrome and a cause of serious concern for physicians and patients due to its potential progression to life-threatening cardiac tamponade. In this review, we summarize the contemporary evidence of the etiology; diagnostic work-up, with particular emphasis on the contribution of multimodality imaging; therapeutic options; and short- and long-term outcomes of these patients.

Recent Findings

In recent years, an important piece of information has contributed to put together several missing parts of the puzzle of pericardial effusion. The most recent 2015 guidelines of the European Society of Cardiology for the diagnosis and management of pericardial diseases are a valuable aid for a tailored approach to this condition. Actually, current guidelines suggest a 4-step treatment algorithm depending on the presence or absence of hemodynamic impairment; the elevation of inflammatory markers; the presence of a known or first-diagnosed underlying condition, possibly related to pericardial effusion; and finally the duration and size of the effusion. In contrast to earlier perceptions, based on the most recent evidence, it seems that in the subgroup of asymptomatic patients with large (> 2-cm end-diastolic diameter), chronic (> 3 months) C-reactive protein negative, idiopathic (without an apparent cause) pericardial effusion, a conservative approach is the most reasonable option.

Summary

At present there is an increasing interest in the pericardial syndromes in general and pericardial effusions in specific, which has consistently expanded our knowledge in this “hazy landscape.” Apart from general recommendations applied to all cases, an individualized, etiologically driven treatment is of paramount importance.

Recurrent pericarditis: an update on diagnosis and management

Recurrent pericarditis is a true challenge for clinicians, especially when the patient becomes unresponsive or not tolerant to conventional treatments. An accurate diagnosis of recurrent pericarditis, possibly supported by advanced imaging tools, is critical to provide timely and appropriate treatment of symptoms and prevention of further episodes. The incessant research on the inflammatory pathways underlying cardiovascular diseases, led recently to the assessment of anti interleukin-1 agents in the setting of recurrent pericarditis. This review will focus on the diagnostic assessment of recurrent pericarditis, along with the most modern therapeutic advances in this field. Bibliographic databases were searched (MEDLINE/PubMed, BioMed Central, the Cochrane Collaboration Database of Randomized Trials, Scopus, ClinicalTrials.gov, EMBASE, Google Scholar) using the terms "recurrent pericarditis" AND "diagnosis" OR "treatment" OR "IL-1" OR "inflammation".

Tegafur-uracil-induced pericardial effusion during adjuvant chemotherapy for resected lung adenocarcinoma: A case report

In Japan, oral administration of tegafur‐uracil is recommended as postoperative adjuvant chemotherapy for patients diagnosed with primary lung adenocarcinomas of >2 cm size and staged as IA, IB, and IIA. Reports on chemotherapy‐induced pericardial effusion are rare. Herein, we report a rare case of tegafur‐uracil‐induced pericardial effusion during postoperative adjuvant chemotherapy for primary lung cancer. A 60‐year‐old man underwent left lower lobectomy and mediastinal lymph node dissection for left lower lung adenocarcinoma. Lung cancer was staged as IB, and tegafur‐uracil was administered as postoperative adjuvant chemotherapy from 1 month after the surgery. A computed tomography (CT) scan revealed a pericardial effusion 5 months after the surgery. A malignant pericardial effusion was suspected, and tegafur‐uracil was discontinued. Pericardiocentesis could not be performed owing to a small amount of pericardial effusion. An ¹⁸F‐fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) positron emission tomography/CT scan revealed no abnormal FDG uptake. During a short follow‐up period after discontinuation of tegafur‐uracil, a CT scan revealed a decrease in pericardial effusion, suggesting that the pericardial effusion was induced by tegafur‐uracil. Follow‐up of pericardial effusion is required while administering tegafur‐uracil. In cases of pericardial effusion without symptoms and no suspicious metastatic lesions in other organs, we should be concerned about tegafur‐uracil‐induced pericardial effusion.

Contemporary management of pericardial effusion

Pericardial effusion is a relatively common clinical condition with a variety of clinical manifestations ranging from incidentally discovered asymptomatic cases to life-threatening cardiac tamponade. The etiology encompasses idiopathic cases and forms secondary to different conditions, including autoimmune diseases, malignancies, metabolic disorders, etc. While medical therapy should be offered to patients with elevation of inflammatory markers, in specific forms treatment should be appropriate to the underlying disorder. In cases with hemodynamic compromise pericardial drainage either with pericardiocentesis or pericardial "window" is indicated for therapeutic and diagnostic purposes. In the remainder, factors like comorbidities, size and location of the pericardial effusion will influence the clinical decision making. In asymptomatic or minimally symptomatic chronic large idiopathic pericardial effusions, according to recent evidence, a conservative approach with watchful waiting seems the most reasonable option. The prognosis of pericardial effusions largely depends on the underlying etiologies. Metastatic spread to the pericardium has an ominous prognosis whereas large to moderate effusions have been often associated with known or newly discovered specific underlying causes. Chronic small idiopathic effusions have an excellent prognosis and do not require specific monitoring. Large chronic idiopathic effusions in clinically stable patients require a 3 to 6-month assessment ideally in a specialized unit.

Erysipelas Complicated with Acute Exudative Pericarditis

Erysipelas is a common skin infection of the upper dermis. Its most common complications are local; these include abscess formation, skin necrosis, etc. In the present article, we introduce a case of a 75-year-old patient with erysipelas of the face complicated with acute exudative pericarditis. The patient came to Kaunas Clinical Hospital complaining of extreme fatigue and fever, oedema of the left side of the face, and erythema typical for erysipelas. The patient also felt sternum and epigastric pain, especially during breathing, and dyspnoea. Heart work was rhythmic 100 bpm; blood pressure was 142/70 mmHg. Pericardial friction rub was heard over the left sternal border. There were no alterations in other systems. In the electrocardiogram, concave ST segment elevation in leads II, III, and aVF was identified. In addition, during hospitalisation, the patient experienced atrial fibrillation paroxysm, which was treated with amiodarone intravenously. The blood test showed C-reactive protein: 286 mg/L; white blood cells: 20 × 10⁹/L; troponin I was within the normal range. During echocardiography, pericardial fluid in pericardial cavity was identified. As no changes in troponin I were observed, according to the ST segment elevation, the woman was diagnosed with erysipelas of the left side of the face complicated with acute exudative pericarditis. Antibacterial treatment of cephalosporins was administered. After the treatment, C-reactive protein decreased to 27.8 mg/L; whereas, in the electrocardiogram, the return of the ST segment to the isoline was observed, and pericardial fluid resorbed from the pericardial cavity. To the best of the authors' knowledge, this case is a rare combination of erysipelas complicated with acute exudative pericarditis.

Ferritin and C-reactive protein are predictive biomarkers of mortality and macrophage activation syndrome in adult onset Still's disease. Analysis of the multicentre Gruppo Italiano di Ricerca in Reumatologia Clinica e Sperimentale (GIRRCS) cohort

Objective

To assess the predictive role of ferritin and C-reactive protein (CRP) on occurrence of macrophage activation syndrome (MAS) and mortality in patients with adult onset Still’s disease (AOSD), a rare and severe disease, included in the multicentre Gruppo Italiano di Ricerca in Reumatologia Clinica e Sperimentale (GIRRCS) cohort.

Methods

The predictive role, at the time of diagnosis, of serum levels of ferritin and CRP on occurrence of MAS and mortality, was evaluated by logistic regression analyses and receiver-operating characteristic (ROC) curves were built to identify patients at high risk of MAS and mortality, respectively.

Results

In assessed 147 patients with AOSD, levels of ferritin were predictive of MAS (OR: 1.971; P: 0.002; CI 95%: 1.280–3.035). The ROC curve showed that the best cut-off for ferritin was 1225 ng/ml in predicting MAS (sensitivity 88%; specificity 57%). Levels of CRP were predictive of mortality in these patients (OR: 2.155; P: 0.007; CI 95%: 1.228–3.783). The ROC curve showed that the best cut-off for CRP was 68.7 mg/L in predicting mortality (sensitivity 80%; specificity of 65%).

Conclusions

We reported the predictive role of ferritin and CRP on MAS and mortality, respectively, in a large cohort of patients with AOSD, identifying subsets at higher risk of poor prognosis. Considering that the analysis of CRP and ferritin is widely available, these results could be readily transferable into clinical practice, thus improving the management of patients with AOSD.

Rapidly Developing Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus Pericarditis and Pericardial Tamponade

Methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) pericarditis is a rare life-threatening infection. A 46-year-old female with hypertension, acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) and recurrent neck abscesses, presented with a neck abscess and sepsis. Bloody purulent drainage from the abscess was found and antibiotics were started. Drainage was positive for MRSA. Four days after, course was complicated by acute pericarditis and pericardial tamponade; pericardial fluid was drained and was positive for MRSA. Vancomycin was continued, and aspirin and colchicine were started. Two days later, there was a recurrent pericardial fluid collection with loculation. Surgery was thought to be dangerous in the setting of CD4 count of 12. She was managed conservatively thereafter, with vancomycin, aspirin and colchicine, and was successfully discharged from the hospital.

Clinical significance of pleural effusions and association with outcome in patients hospitalized with a first episode of acute pericarditis

The clinical significance of pleural effusions (PLEs) in the setting of acute pericarditis remains poorly investigated. We sought to identify predictive factors for PLEs and their association with the short- and long-term prognosis of patients with acute pericarditis. We enrolled 177 patients hospitalized with a first episode of acute pericarditis. In all cases an extensive clinical, biochemical, and diagnostic work-up to detect PLEs and establish etiological diagnosis was performed. All patients included were prospectively followed for a maximum of 18 months (median 12, range 1-18) and complications were recorded. PLEs were detected in n = 94 cases (53.1% of the cohort; bilateral 53.2%, left-sided 28.7%, right-sided 18.1%) and were strongly associated with c-reactive protein (CRP) levels at admission (rho = 0.328, p < 0.001). In multivariate logistic regression, independent predictors for PLEs were female gender (OR = 2.46, 95% CI 1.03-5.83), age (per 1-year increment OR = 1.030, 95% CI 1.005-1.056), CRP levels (per 1 mg/L increment OR = 1.012, 95% CI 1.006-1.019) and size of pericardial effusion (per 1 cm increment, OR = 1.899, 95% CI 1.228-2.935). Bilateral PLEs were associated with increased risk for in-hospital cardiac tamponade (OR = 7.52, 95% CI 2.16-26.21). There was no association of PLEs with new onset atrial fibrillation or pericarditis recurrence during long-term follow-up (χ2 = 0.003, p = 0.958). We conclude that PLEs are common in patients hospitalized with a first episode of acute pericarditis. They are related to the intensity of inflammatory reaction, and they should not be considered necessarily as a marker of secondary etiology. Bilateral PLEs are associated with increased risk of in-hospital cardiac tamponade, but do not affect the long-term risk of pericarditis recurrence.

Life-threatening Development of Cardiac Tamponade in the Span of 24 Hours

Cardiac tamponade is a medical emergency that requires immediate treatment. Caused by the development of fluid in the pericardial space, it can result in a severe decrease in cardiac output. When encountering patients with severe hypotension and tachycardia, emergency physicians must always consider the diagnosis of tamponade to facilitate prompt and effective treatment and stabilization. We report our experience with a patient who developed life-threatening cardiac tamponade within a span of less than 24 hours.

Acute pericarditis: a review of current diagnostic and management guidelines

This review examined the relevance of chest pain, pericardial friction rub, pericardial effusion and ECG changes in regard to the diagnosis of acute pericarditis. It also assessed the evidence for the management and therapeutic guidelines, specifically nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), colchicine and corticosteroids. Overall, there appears to be a lack of research into pericarditis. The bulk of high-quality research seems to have been carried out prior to the publication of the European Society of Cardiology guidelines of 2015. Diagnostically, the current combination of symptoms, clinical signs and investigations offer reasonable criteria for diagnosis, but they are not a gold standard. Research into its therapeutic treatment options is required to address the effects of specific nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs).

PR depression with multi‑lead ST elevation and ST depression in aVR: Is it always acute pericarditis?

The classic electrocardiographic (ECG) manifestation of stage I of acute pericarditis is diffuse ST elevation and PR depression with ST depression in lead aVR. One of the most common conditions, that is often confused with acute pericarditis, is the benign diffuse ST elevation, termed "early repolarization with ST elevation" (ERSTE). ERSTE often presents with diffuse ST elevation in the inferior and anterolateral leads, with or without terminal QRS notching or slurring. As ERSTE often presents with ST elevation in leads I and II, frequently there is concomitant ST depression in lead aVR, similar to the acute pericarditis ECG pattern. Moreover, PR depression in the inferior leads and/or PR elevation in lead aVR is often seen. Here we describe four patients with ERSTE, all had ST elevation in II with either ST elevation or isoelectric ST in lead I and concomitant ST depression in aVR. Two also had PR depression in the inferior leads. None of the patients had clinical symptoms or signs of acute pericarditis. In conclusion, diffuse ST elevation in the inferolateral leads associated with ST depression in aVR and even with PR segment depression is commonly found in ERSTE and should not be considered as pathognomonic of only acute pericarditis.

Clinical Features of Post Cardiac Injury Syndrome Following Catheter Ablation of Arrhythmias: Systematic Review and Additional Cases

BACKGROUND

Post cardiac injury syndrome (PCIS) is a troublesome but not uncommon complication following catheter ablation of arrhythmias. We aimed to study the clinical features of ablation-associated PCIS.

METHODS

For this purpose, we conducted a computerised literature search that identified 19 published cases, and we additionally included another two new cases from our centres. Twenty-one (21) cases of PCIS following ablation were analysed.

RESULTS

Among the 21 cases, PCIS most commonly occurred after atrial flutter/fibrillation (AFL/AF) ablation (71.4%), followed by atrioventricular re-entrant tachycardia (AVRT) ablation (9.5%), atrioventricular node (AVN) ablation (9.5%), atrioventricular nodal re-entrant tachycardia (AVNRT) ablation (4.8%) and ventricular tachycardia (VT) ablation (4.8%). Thirty-eight (38) per cent of PCIS was suggested to be secondary to cardiac perforation. Specific symptoms or features include pleuritic chest pain (76.2%), fever (76.2%), elevated markers of inflammation (76.2%), pericardial effusion (90.5%), pleural effusion (71.4%) and pulmonary infiltrates (28.6%). Interestingly, all the six cases with pulmonary infiltrates were following AFL/AF ablation (6/15, 40%). Serious clinical manifestations include cardiac tamponade, massive pleural effusion with hypoalbuminaemia and hyponatraemia, and massive pulmonary infiltrates with hypoxaemia. Notably, empiric antibiotic therapy was used in seven cases including five with pulmonary infiltrates but failed to work. No mortality occurred during a mean follow-up of 4.1±5.3 (1 to 19) months.

CONCLUSIONS

Catheter ablation of AFL/AF was most commonly involved in ablation-associated PCIS. Pulmonary infiltrate is an important feature of PCIS following AFL/AF ablation and may be misdiagnosed as pneumonia. Although PCIS is troublesome and even dangerous, it does carry a benign prognosis.

Acute and Recurrent Pericarditis

Acute and recurrent pericarditis is the most common pericardial syndrome encountered in clinical practice either as an isolated process or as part of a systemic disease. The diagnosis is based on clinical evaluation, electrocardiogram, and echocardiography. The empiric therapy is based on nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs plus colchicine as first choice, resorting to corticosteroids for specific indications (eg, systemic inflammatory disease on corticosteroids, pregnancy, renal failure, concomitant oral anticoagulants), for contraindications or failure of the first-line therapy. The most common complication is recurrence, occurring in up to 30% of cases after a first episode of pericarditis.

Management of idiopathic recurrent pericarditis in adults and in children: a role for IL-1 receptor antagonism

Recurrent pericarditis is one of the most frequent pericardial diseases, affecting up to 30% of the patients who have experienced acute pericarditis. While the diagnosis of acute pericarditis is sometime straight forward, its etiology and therapeutic management are still a challenge for physicians. In developed countries, the idiopathic form is the most frequent, and the search for an infectious etiology is almost invariably negative. Nevertheless, since standard treatment with nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and colchicine is not always able to neutralize pericardial inflammation in recurrent pericarditis, anakinra, an IL-1 receptor antagonist, has been proposed as a possible therapeutic alternative for refractory forms. IL-1 is a cytokine that exerts a pivotal role in innate immunity and in the pathogenesis of some autoimmune diseases, such as rheumatoid arthritis, and in autoinflammatory disorders, as familial Mediterranean fever and cryopyrin-associated periodic syndromes. The successful management of patients with acute idiopathic recurrent pericarditis (IRP) needs a teamwork approach, where cardiologists, rheumatologists, clinical immunologists and internists are involved. In this review, we will discuss the clinical and therapeutical challenges of IRP both in adults and children from a clinical practice standpoint. We will also briefly illustrate the main pathogenic mechanisms of IRP to provide internists and cardiologists with the rationale for approaching the use of anakinra in selected clinical cases.

Purulenta pericarditis and Pasteurella multocida: an extremely rare entity

Purulent pericarditis is a rare entity, defined as the presence of neutrophilic pericardial effusion which is infected by a bacterial, fungus or parasite agent. The diagnosis can be challenging, especially if patients have taken previous antibiotic therapy; on the other hand the recognition of this pathology is often made late, with the onset of severe symptoms or signs of cardiac tamponade or even only at the autopsy. The authors describe the case of a 82-year-old woman with history of extensive laceration of the right lower limb from a dog bite in July 2016, admitted to the Cardiology Department one month later for Acute Pericarditis. During hospitalization she maintained recurrent fever peaks despite the treatment with non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and colchicine. She collected blood cultures and repeated echocardiogram showed increased pericardial effusion with no signs of hemodynamic compromise. Blood cultures revealed the presence of Pasteurella multocida. Due to clinical suspicion of purulent pericarditis, pericardiocentesis was performed with drainage of liquid compatible with exudate and the patient was presented to the Cardiothoracic Surgery Department for pericardiotomy and adequate drainage of the liquid. Histological examination confirmed the diagnosis of Acute Pericarditis. It should be noted that Pasteurella is a very frequent agent (50-90%) in the gastrointestinal tract and nasopharynx of many domestic animals, namely dogs. The authors emphasize the need to aggressively treat this pathology, since untreated death is inevitable.

Cardiac tamponade and adrenal insufficiency due to pembrolizumab: a case report

Introduction

Patients who receive or have received anti-programmed cell-death-1 (PD-1) monoclonal antibodies can develop immune-related adverse events due to activation of the immune system.

Case presentation

We report a case of a patient who received pembrolizumab and presented with cardiac tamponade. Despite pericardial drainage, she persisted with refractory arterial hypotension due to secondary adrenal insufficiency. After initiating corticosteroid therapy, the patient recovered successfully.

Discussion

The association of pericarditis, hypophysitis and thyroid dysfunction support the diagnosis of a life-threatening immune-related adverse event due to pembrolizumab. In case of immune-related adverse events secondary to anti-PD-1 monoclonal antibodies, corticosteroid therapy should be promptly initiated in order to avoid major complications.