ROLE OF THE PERICARDIOSCOPY IN THE TREATMENT OF PERICARDIAL EFFUSION

In recent years surgical treatment of pericardial effusion has been favoured by mini-invasive interventions. Pericardioscopy supplements it. In the literature actively discusses its expediency, efficiency and informativeness. Aim of the study. Analyze our experience of using pericardioscopy during surgical treatment of pericardial effusion using mini-invasive interventions. Materials and methods. From 2000 to 2017, 92 patients with pericardial effusion were operated in our clinic using mini-invasive interventions. Pericardioscopy was used in 72 (78.26 %) cases. In 32 (44.44 %) pericardioscopy was performed with subxiphoid pericardiotomy, in 40 (55.56 %) – with thoracoscopy on the right or left side. Results and discussion. The use of pericardioscopy has allowed to significantly reduce the number of idiopathic pericarditis from 20.0 % to 5.56 % and increase the informativeness of the minimally invasive interventions by 14.44 % (χ2 = 4.11, with ν = 1, α = 5 %). There is no reliable difference in the number of relapses of the disease. Conclusions. The use of pericardioscopy during mini-invasive interventions is safe and effective. The method of choice in most cases is subxiphoid non-pleural pericardiotomy with pericardioscopy.

Treatment of Adults with Idiopathic Recurrent Pericarditis: Novel Use of Immunotherapy

Idiopathic recurrent pericarditis (IRP) can be challenging to treat. Even after guideline-directed first-line treatment consisting of aspirin (ASA) or a nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drug (NSAID) in combination with colchicine therapy, recurrences still occur in greater than 20% of patients. Many patients then require treatment with long-term corticosteroids, which is not a favorable option due to their short- and long-term adverse effects. Because it is theorized that the pathophysiology of IRP may possess autoimmune sequelae, the use of immunotherapy for the treatment of IRP has emerged. In this review, we describe the literature associated with immunotherapy used to treat IRP in an adult population as well as provide an overview of the safety and monitoring parameters for each agent. The most common immunotherapies used after patients have had multiple recurrences of IRP are anakinra, intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG), and azathioprine. In most cases, these immunotherapies are adjunctive therapy, with the goal of tapering and discontinuing immunosuppressive corticosteroids. After reviewing the data, anakinra resulted in more patients discontinuing corticosteroids and prevented further recurrences of pericarditis. IVIG resulted in symptom resolution and no further recurrences in most of the patients. Azathioprine was associated with more than half of patients becoming recurrence free; however, many patients required a restart of corticosteroids due to recurrence. Clinicians should be aware of the adverse effects of immunotherapy, ranging from mild gastrointestinal events to risk of infection and serious blood dyscrasias that may require diligent monitoring. The use of immunotherapy for the treatment of adults with IRP should be restricted to patients who have multiple recurrences. Ideally, immunotherapy would be adjunctive to first-line combination therapy with ASA/NSAID plus colchicine, with the goal of tapering and discontinuing immunosuppressive corticosteroids. Furthermore, clinicians should consider cost, drug-drug and drug-disease interactions, and safety, as well as the quality of the retrospective evidence before considering any immunotherapy.

Pharmacotherapy update of acute idiopathic pericarditis

Idiopathic (viral) pericarditis is the most common form of pericardial disease in the Western world. Despite the combination of colchicine and nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) plus aspirin (ASA), considered first-line therapy, the incidence of recurrent pericarditis is ~20-30%. In addition, secondary recurrence without optimal first-line therapy is ~50%. This is due to the many clinical challenges, such as inappropriate NSAID/ASA duration of therapy, the use of corticosteroid therapy, contraindications or intolerances to therapy, adverse effects, and issues related to adherence. This review describes contemporary pharmacotherapeutic management of idiopathic (viral) pericarditis, with a particular emphasis on the role of colchicine. Emerging therapies and management strategies, such as high-sensitivity C-reactive protein-guided therapy and novel immunotherapies, are also reviewed. Ultimately, understanding appropriate treatment will assist the clinician in helping decrease the risk of recurrent, incessant, and refractory pericarditis.

Pharmacotherapeutic considerations for using colchicine to treat idiopathic pericarditis in the USA

The clinical significance of colchicine in the treatment of acute idiopathic (viral) pericarditis (IP) was only elucidated less than a decade ago. Multiple trials have shown the benefit of colchicine in decreasing the rate of recurrence, primarily in the European population. However, the colchicine formulation used in these trials is not available in Western countries such as the USA. In the USA, two formulations are available: the 0.6 mg capsule and the 0.6 mg tablet. As a result, higher doses than administered in the European trials must be utilized to treat IP. However, the use of these dosage forms has never been studied in the treatment of IP. Pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic knowledge of colchicine germane to clinicians such as drug disposition and drug-drug or drug-disease interactions have not been extensively reviewed in recent years. Furthermore, the safety of colchicine in the treatment of IP has not been extensively studied, and literature regarding adverse drug events originates from data in patients treated for familial Mediterranean fever and gout. This review will help the clinician understand pharmacotherapeutic considerations and thereby optimize therapy and ensure patient safety when using colchicine to treat IP.

Incidence and prognostic significance of new onset atrial fibrillation/flutter in acute pericarditis

OBJECTIVE

Data on the incidence of new onset atrial fibrillation and flutter (AF/f) in patients with acute pericarditis are limited. We sought to determine the incidence and prognostic significance of AF/f in this setting.

METHODS

Between January 2006 and June 2014, consecutive new cases of acute pericarditis were included in two urban referral centres for pericardial diseases. All new cases of AF/f defined as episodes lasting ≥30 s were recorded. Events considered during follow-up consisted of AF/f and pericarditis recurrence, cardiac tamponade, pericardial constriction and death.

RESULTS

822 consecutive new cases of acute pericarditis (mean age 53±15 years, 444 men) were analysed. AF/f was detected in 35 patients (4.3%, mean age 66.5±11.3 years, 18 men). Patients with AF/f were significantly older (p=0.017) and presented more frequently with pericardial effusion (p<0.001). Arrhythmias developed within 24 h of pericarditis onset in 91.4% of cases, lasted >24 h in 25.7% and spontaneously converted in 74.3% of patients. Underlying structural heart disease was present in 17% of AF/f cases. In a 30-month follow-up, patients with history of AF/f at the initial episode had a higher rate of arrhythmia occurrence (34.3% vs 0.9%, p<0.001), mostly (75%) within 3 months. No other differences were detected in additional clinical events including haemorrhagic complications in patients receiving oral anticoagulation.

CONCLUSIONS

The occurrence of AF/f in acute pericarditis identifies a predisposed population to AF/f with a high recurrence risk (about 35%): in these patients, pericarditis may act as an arrhythmic trigger and oral anticoagulation should be seriously considered according to guidelines.

Interleukin-1 as a common denominator from autoinflammatory to autoimmune disorders: premises, perils, and perspectives

A complex web of dynamic relationships between innate and adaptive immunity is now evident for many autoinflammatory and autoimmune disorders, the first deriving from abnormal activation of innate immune system without any conventional danger triggers and the latter from self-/non-self-discrimination loss of tolerance, and systemic inflammation. Due to clinical and pathophysiologic similarities giving a crucial role to the multifunctional cytokine interleukin-1, the concept of autoinflammation has been expanded to include nonhereditary collagen-like diseases, idiopathic inflammatory diseases, and metabolic diseases. As more patients are reported to have clinical features of autoinflammation and autoimmunity, the boundary between these two pathologic ends is becoming blurred. An overview of monogenic autoinflammatory disorders, PFAPA syndrome, rheumatoid arthritis, type 2 diabetes mellitus, uveitis, pericarditis, Behçet's disease, gout, Sjögren's syndrome, interstitial lung diseases, and Still's disease is presented to highlight the fundamental points that interleukin-1 displays in the cryptic interplay between innate and adaptive immune systems.

Efficacy and safety of colchicine for treatment of multiple recurrences of pericarditis (CORP-2): a multicentre, double-blind, placebo-controlled, randomised trial

BACKGROUND

Colchicine is effective for the treatment of acute pericarditis and first recurrences. However, conclusive data are lacking for the efficacy and safety of colchicine for treatment of multiple recurrences of pericarditis.

METHODS

We did this multicentre, double-blind trial at four general hospitals in northern Italy. Adult patients with multiple recurrences of pericarditis (≥two) were randomly assigned (1:1) to placebo or colchicine (0·5 mg twice daily for 6 months for patients weighing more than 70 kg or 0·5 mg once daily for patients weighing 70 kg or less) in addition to conventional anti-inflammatory treatment with aspirin, ibuprofen, or indometacin. Permuted block randomisation (size four) was done with a central computer-based automated sequence. Patients and all investigators were masked to treatment allocation. The primary outcome was recurrent pericarditis in the intention-to-treat population. This trial is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, number NCT00235079.

FINDINGS

240 patients were enrolled and 120 were assigned to each group. The proportion of patients who had recurrent pericarditis was 26 (21·6%) of 120 in the colchicine group and 51 (42·5%) of 120 in the placebo group (relative risk 0·49; 95% CI 0·24-0·65; p=0·0009; number needed to treat 5). Adverse effects and discontinuation of study drug occurred in much the same proportions in each group. The most common adverse events were gastrointestinal intolerance (nine patients in the colchicine group vs nine in the placebo group) and hepatotoxicity (three vs one). No serious adverse events were reported.

INTERPRETATION

Colchicine added to conventional anti-inflammatory treatment significantly reduced the rate of subsequent recurrences of pericarditis in patients with multiple recurrences. Taken together with results from other randomised controlled trials, these findings suggest that colchicine should be probably regarded as a first-line treatment for either acute or recurrent pericarditis in the absence of contraindications or specific indications.

FUNDING

Azienda Sanitaria 3 of Torino (now ASLTO2).