Elsevier

The American Journal of Cardiology

Volume 100, Issue 6, 15 September 2007, Pages 1026-1028
The American Journal of Cardiology

Miscellaneous
Prognosis of Idiopathic Recurrent Pericarditis as Determined from Previously Published Reports

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.amjcard.2007.04.047Get rights and content

After a systematic review of all publications on recurrent pericarditis from 1966 to 2006, we identified 8 major clinical series including a total of 230 patients with idiopathic recurrent pericarditis (mean age 46 years, men/women ratio: 0.9). After a mean follow-up of 61 months, the complication rate was 3.5% cardiac tamponade and 0% constrictive pericarditis and left ventricular dysfunction. The overall life prognosis is excellent in idiopathic recurrent pericarditis and complications are uncommon. In conclusion constrictive pericarditis was never reported despite numerous recurrences, and the risk is lower than in idiopathic acute pericarditis (approximately 1%). Thus, it is important to reassure patients on their prognosis, explaining the nature of the disease, and the likely course. Therapeutic choices should take into account of the overall good outcome of these patients, including less toxic agents.

Section snippets

Methods and Results

To reflect the best available evidence, we performed a comprehensive Medline search of all publications from 1966 to 2006 with the MeSH terms “pericarditis,” “recurrent pericarditis,” “pericardial constriction,” and “cardiac tamponade.” Additional publications were sought using the reference lists of identified papers, the published reviews on the topic, and a search of abstracts from the scientific sessions of the American College of Cardiology, the American Heart Association, and the European

Discussion

A systematic review of all publications on recurrent pericarditis shows that the overall life prognosis is excellent in idiopathic recurrent pericarditis, and complications are uncommon. Despite the common concern for the risk of constriction, constrictive pericarditis was never reported in these patients despite numerous recurrences, and the overall risk is lower than in idiopathic acute pericarditis (approximately 1%).3 Thus, it is important to reassure patients on their prognosis, explaining

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