Pericarditis in contemporary therapeutic clinic: nosological spectrum, approaches to diagnosis and treatment
Authors: Blagova O. V. , Nedostup A. V. , Sedov V. P. , Kogan E. A. , Alijeva I. N. , Sorokin G. Yu. , Sarkisova N. D. 
Published: February 2021

Aim.To analyze the register of pericarditis in a therapeutic clinic, to evaluate their nosological spectrum, to optimize approaches to diagnosis and treatment. Materials and methods.For the period 20072018, the register includes 76 patients with the diagnosis of pericarditis (average age 53.115.7 years, 2085 years, 46 female). Patients with hydropericardium were not included in the register. Diagnostic puncture of pericardium was carried out in 5 patients, pleural puncture in 11 patients. Morphological diagnostics included endomyocardial/ intraoperative biopsy of myocardium (n=4/2), thoracoscopic/intraoperative biopsy of pericardium (n=1/6), pleural puncture (n=5), transbronchial (n=1), thoracoscopic biopsy of intrathoracic lymph nodes (n=2), lung (n=1), supraclavicular lymph node biopsy (n=1), salivary gland (n=1), subcutaneous fat and rectum biopsy per amyloid (n=6/1). The genome of cardiotropic viruses, level of anti-heart antibodies, C-reactive protein, antinuclear factor, rheumatoid factor (antibodies to cyclic citrullinized peptide), antibodies to neutrophil cytoplasm were determined, extractable nuclear antigens (ENA), protein immunoelectrophoresis, diaskin test, computed tomography of lungs and heart, cardiac magnetic resonance imaging, oncologic search. Results.The following forms of pericarditis were verified: tuberculosis (14%, including in combination with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy HCM), acute / chronic viral (8%) and infectious immune (38%), including perimyocarditis in 77%, pericarditis associated with mediastinum lymphoma/sarcoma (4%), sarcoidosis (3%), diffuse diseases of connective tissue and vasculitis (systemic lupus erythematosus, rheumatoid arthritis, diseases of Horton, Takayasu, Shegren, Wegener, 12%), leukoclastic vasculitis, Loefflers endomyocarditis, AL-amyloidosis, thrombotic microangiopathy (1% each), HCM (8%), coronary heart disease (constriction after repeated punctures and suppuration; postinfection and immune, 4%), after radiofrequency catheter ablation and valve prosthetics (2%). Tuberculosis was the main causes of constrictive pericarditis (36%). Treatment included steroids (n=39), also in combination with cytostatics (n=12), anti-tuberculosis drugs (n=9), acyclovir/ganclovir (n=14), hydroxychloroquine (n=23), colchicine (n=13), non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (n=21), L-tyroxine (n=5), chemotherapy (n=1). In 36 patients different types of therapy were combined. Treatment results observed in 55 patients. Excellent and stable results were achieved in 82% of them. Pericardiectomy/pericardial resection was successfully performed in 8 patients. Lethality was 13.2% (10 patients) with an average follow-up 9 [2; 29.5] months (up to 10 years). Causes of death were chronic heart failure, surgery for HCM, pulmonary embolism, tumor. Conclusion.During a special examination, the nature of pericarditis was established in 97% of patients. Morphological and cytological diagnostics methods play the leading role. Tuberculosis pericarditis, infectious-immune and pericarditis in systemic diseases prevailed. Infectious immune pericarditis is characterized by small and medium exudate without restriction and accompanying myocarditis. Steroids remain the first line of therapy in most cases. Hydroxychloroquine as well as colchicine can be successfully used in moderate / low activity of immune pericarditis and as a long-term maintenance therapy after steroid stop.