Life-threatening constrictive pericarditis accompanied by synthetic cannabinoid use:A case report and literature review

Rationale:Synthetic cannabinoids are increasingly used as recreational drugs and have been associated with adverse cardiovascular effects.However,reports of synthetic cannabinoids accompanied by constrictive pericarditis are limited.Patient’s concern:A 28-year-old male with a history of synthetic cannabinoid(Bonzai)abuse presented with chest discomfort,dyspnea,and lower extremity edema.Investigations revealed reduced left ventricular ejection fraction,elevated inflammatory markers,low electrocardiogram voltages,and atrial fibrillation.Diagnosis:Chest spiral computerized tomography scan and chest X-ray demonstrated pericardial calcification.Cardiac magnetic resonance imaging and right heart catheterization were done to confirm the possibility of constrictive pericarditis.Based on the patient’s addiction history and exclusion of rheumatologic and infectious causes,it was supposed that constrictive pericarditis and cardiomyopathy may be accompanied by synthetic cannabinoid use.Interventions:The patient received standard medical therapy,including loop diuretics for cardiomyopathy and constrictive pericarditis.Catheter ablation was recommended for his rhythm control,and he was planned for close monitoring of clinical and echocardiographic response and evaluation of the need for surgical pericardiectomy in the future.Outcomes:After 6 months follow-up,echocardiographic exam revealed no significant improvement in ventricular function.However,due to the high surgical risk,the patient’s poor compliance,and the continuation of drug abuse,he was not a good candidate for surgery according to our heart team’s decision.Lessons:Synthetic cannabinoids can trigger constrictive pericarditis,and clinicians should consider them when evaluating patients with compatible symptoms and exposure history.Further research on the cardiovascular effects of synthetic cannabinoids is needed and public education on potential harms is warranted.

Chronic Effusive Pericarditis and Chronic Constrictive Pericarditis

Chronic Pericarditis is infl ammation that begins gradually,is long lasting and results in fl uid accumulation in the pericardial space or thickening of the pericardium.The etiology is unknown but may be cancer,TB or hypothyroidism.Arrhythmias are common and seen in almost half the patients.The commonest arrhythmia is atrial fi brillation.Symptoms and signs are related to increased right atrial pressure and physical fi ndings include elevated JVP and pericardial knock.Non surgical therapy consists mainly of no salt.Surgery cures about 85%of patients,however 5–15%of patients will die.Chronic effusive pericarditis occurs when there is persistent restriction of the visceral pericardium after pericardiocentesis.

Established and novel pathophysiological mechanisms of pericardial injury and constrictive pericarditis

This review article aims to:(1) discern from the literature the immune and inflammatory processes occurring in the pericardium following injury; and(2) to delve into the molecular mechanisms which may play a role in the progression to constrictive pericarditis. Pericarditis arises as a result of a wide spectrum of pathologies of both infectious and non-infectious aetiology, which lead to various degrees of fibrogenesis. Current understanding of the sequence of molecular events leading to pathological manifestations of constrictive pericarditis is poor. The identification of key mechanisms and pathways common to most fibrotic events in the pericardium can aid in the design and development of novel interventions for the prevention and management of constriction. We have identified through this review various cellular events and signalling cascades which are likely to contribute to the pathological fibrotic phenotype. An initial classical pattern of inflammation arises as a result of insult to the pericardium and can exacerbate into an exaggerated or prolonged inflammatory state. Whilst the implication of major drivers of inflammation and fibrosis such as tumour necrosis factor and transforming growth factor β were foreseeable, the identification of pericardial deregulation of other mediators(basic fibroblast growth factor, galectin-3 and the tetrapeptide Ac-SDKP) provides important avenues for further research.

Eggshell calcification of the heart in constrictive pericarditis

Constrictive pericarditis(CP) is an inflammatory disease of pericardium. Pericardial calcification in X-ray provides a clue for the diagnosis of CP. An extensive "eggshell" type of calcification is rarely seen in CP. We hereby report a case of CP with eggshell calcification of pericardium, encircling whole of the heart. A need for multimodality imaging and hemodynamic assessment followed by surgical pericardiectomy is discussed.

“End-Stage” Constrictive Pericarditis—A Case Report

Aim: To report a case of “end-stage” constrictive pericarditis with clinical manifestations such as ascites mimicking as cirrhosis of liver. Introduction: In “End-stage” constrictive pericarditis, the etiology remains unknown in majority of cases and inflammation plays a central role in its development. It has been readily confused with cirrhosis of liver in which there may be ascites, but venous pressure is normal, the neck veins are not engorged and cardiac enlargement is frequent in other causes of heart failure. Case Report: A 67 years old male presented with sudden onset of tachycardia. Clinical examination revealed right-sided heart failure, “Egg-shell” calcification in Chest X-ray and echocardiographic features of pericardial constriction such as septal bounce and dynamic respiratory changes in mitral inflow velocity. The patient was advised medical measures. Conclusion: When clinical signs of right heart failure become unresponsive to increased doses of diuretics, constrictive pericarditis is more likely the underlying disease since severe, right-sided failure develops in very advanced, the “end-stage” of the disease.

Surgical Treatment of Chronic Constrictive Pericarditis in a Developing Country

Background: Chronic constrictive pericarditis is a rare but serious clinical entity with a poor prognosis in the absence of surgical treatment. The purpose of this study was to report on our experience of subtotal anterior pericardectomy and analyze our surgical results. Results: We included 74 patients operated on for chronic constrictive pericarditis in our institution during the period from January 1985 to December 2020. There were 29 female and 45 male patients, with an average age of 28 years (range: 8 - 64 years). 36.5% of patients were in NYHA class III or IV. Physical signs were dominated by peripheral signs of right heart failure in 93.2% of cases. The surgical procedure was a subtotal anterior pericardectomy from the left to the right phrenic nerve, freeing the heart chambers and the large vessels. The surgical results were marked by a functional improvement in 82.4% of the cases. The postoperative complications were marked by a low cardiac output in 8.1% of the cases, a atrial fibrillation in 4.1% of the cases, a haemorrhage in 1.4% of the cases, a haemothorax in 2.7% of the cases. Perioperative mortality was 5.4% patients. The causes of death were low cardiac output in 50% of cases, hemorrhage in 25% of cases, and hepatocellular insufficiency in 25% of cases. We observed a mortality of 2.9% after an average follow-up of 5.17 years ± 4.76 years. All other survivors were asymptomatic and no re-intervention for recurrence was performed. Conclusions: Subtotal anterior pericardectomy was the technique we used for the treatment of chronic constrictive pericarditis. It allowed having satisfactory surgical results with a functional improvement and an acceptable morbidity.

Surgery for Aneurysmal Right Coronary Fistula and Constrictive Pericarditis in an Adult: Case Report

Coronary artery fistula (CAF) is a direct communication between a coronary artery and the lumen of any of the cardiac chambers, i.e. the coronary sinus, the pulmonary artery, the superior vena cava or the proximal pulmonary veins. The majority of these fistulas are congenital in origin although they may occasionally be detected after cardiac surgery. Congenital CAF is a rare anomaly and aneurysmal formation in the fistula is even rarer. Majority of CAFs are isolated lesions, however, congenital or acquired heart diseases may co-exist. Herein, we report a case of huge congenital aneurysmal right CAF connected to the right atrium in an Iraqi man of 62 associated with tuberculous effusive-constrictive pericarditis to whom off pump pericardiectomy was performed followed by ligation of right coronary artery and vein graft implantation to its posterior descending branch under cardiopulmonary bypass. To the best of our knowledge, such association was not previously reported. CAF can be repaired surgically with minimum risk and excellent outcome. Surgery is advised whenever coronary fistula is diagnosed unless it is very small to avoid the potential complications.

Pericarditis in Cardiology at a Regional Hospital

Introduction: Pericarditis is an inflammation of the pericardium with or without pericardial fluid effusion. Its prevalence is difficult to determine given the many forms that are not symptomatic. In Africa, its prevalence was 6.3% in Gabon in 2020 and 7.2% in Mali in 2022. In Europe, an Italian study estimates the incidence of acute pericarditis at 27.7 cases per 100,000 people per year. In another study conducted in Finland over a period of 9 years, the incidence of pericarditis requiring hospitalisation was 3.32 cases per 100,000 people per year. The aim of our study was to describe the clinical and paraclinical characteristics of pericarditis observed in the cardiology department of the regional hospital in Mali. Methodology: This was a single centre cross-sectional study from 30 January 2018 to 30 June 2020 in the cardiology department of the Ségou regional hospital. All consenting patients, regardless of age or sex hospitalised in the department for pericarditis confirmed on cardiac ultrasound were included. Data were collected using an individual patient follow-up form recording sociodemographic, clinical, biological, electrocardiographic and echocardiographic data, as well as the course of the disease. Results: Out of 879 patients hospitalized, the hospital frequency was 7.28%. Females predominated, with a sex ratio of 0.42. More than half the patients were aged 45 or younger (59.4%). The mean age of patients was 41.8 ± 18.1 years. Cardiovascular risk factors were dominated by hypertension and smoking (46.9% and 12.5% respectively). The reasons for consultation were dyspnoea (84.3%), chest pain (54.7%), cough (71.9%) and fever (34.4%). Physical signs included muffled heart sounds (76.6%), tachycardia (70.3%), pericardial friction (17.2%) and signs of peripheral stasis in 53.1% of cases. We observed elevated C-reactive protein (CRP) in 57.8% of cases, hypercreatininaemia in 37.5% and positive HIV serology in 3.1%. The major radiographic signs were cardiomegaly in 82.8% and pleural effusion in 37.5%. On electrocardiogram (ECG), 51.6% of patients had a repolarisation disorder and sinus tachycardia;34.4% had QRS microvoltage. Echocardiography revealed tamponade in 1.6% and pericardial effusion in 100%. The effusion was very large in 17.3% of cases. The pericardial fluid was citrine yellow in 18.8%, serosanguineous in 9.4% and haemorrhagic in 7.8%. The aetiology of the pericarditis was idiopathic in 42.1% and secondary to HIV in 3.1%. Transudative fluid was observed in 16.5% of cases. The outcome was generally favourable, with 92.2% of cases cured, but 1.6% with persistent effusion, 3.1% with recurrence, and 3.1% with mortality.

Constrictive pericarditis as a cause of refractory ascites after liver transplantation:A case report

BACKGROUND Refractory ascites is a rare complication following orthotopic liver transplantation(OLT).The broad spectrum of differential diagnosis often leads to delay in diagnosis.Therapy depends on recognition and treatment of the underlying cause.Constrictive pericarditis is a condition characterized by clinical signs of right-sided heart failure.In the advanced stages of the disease,hepatic congestion leads to formation of ascites.In patients after OLT,cardiac etiology of ascites is easily overlooked and it requires a high degree of clinical suspicion.CASE SUMMARY We report a case of a 55-year-old man who presented with a refractory ascites three months after liver transplantation for alcoholic cirrhosis.Prior to transplantation the patient had a minimal amount of ascites.The transplant procedure and the early postoperative course were uneventful.Standard posttransplant work up failed to reveal any typical cause of refractory post-transplant ascites.The function of the graft was good.Apart from atrial fibrillation,cardiac status was normal.Eighteen months post transplantation the patient developed dyspnea and severe fatigue with peripheral edema.Ascites was still prominent.The presenting signs of right-sided heart failure were highly suggestive of cardiac etiology.Diagnostic paracentesis was suggestive of cardiac ascites,and further cardiac evaluation showed typical signs of constrictive pericarditis.Pericardiectomy was performed followed by complete resolution of ascites.On the follow-up the patient remained symptom-free with no signs of recurrent ascites and with normal function of the liver graft.CONCLUSION Refractory ascites following liver transplantation is a rare complication with many possible causes.Broad differential diagnosis needs to be considered.

Pseudomonas aeruginosa-related effusive-constrictive pericarditis diagnosed with echocardiography:A case report

BACKGROUND Effusive-constrictive pericarditis(ECP)is an uncommon pericardial syndrome.Careful echocardiographic examination may provide helpful information not only for diagnosing but also for managing ECP.ECP has various etiologies;however,Pseudomonas aeruginosa(P.aeruginosa)infection has not been reported as a cause to date.Herein,we present a rare case of ECP caused by P.aeruginosa infection,which was followed up using echocardiography.CASE SUMMARY A 30-year-old man was admitted to our hospital with a 2-mo history of cough,dyspnea,bloating,palpitations,and lower-extremity edema.The patient was initially diagnosed with pericardial effusion by transthoracic echocardiography.Drainage of pericardial effusion was performed to relieve the clinical symptoms.A follow-up echocardiogram showed that the pericardial effusion had decreased;however,the right atrial pressure continued to increase,and signs of constrictive pericarditis were observed upon a more comprehensive inspection.Therefore,the diagnosis of ECP was established based on the comprehensive pre-and postpericardiocentesis echocardiographic findings.An urgent pericardectomy was subsequently performed,which significantly relieved the patient's clinical symptoms,and the signs of pericardial constriction on echocardiography improved.Pericardial effusion and pericardial culture showed growth of P.aeruginosa.CONCLUSION ECP induced by P.aeruginosa infection remains a rare disease.The presence of echocardiographic features of constrictive pericarditis after pericardiocentesis therapy is highly indicative of ECP.

Systemic Lupus Erythematosus Complicated by Pericarditis: A Case Report from the Guindo Clinic in Bamako, Mali

Juvenile systemic lupus erythematosus is a rare entity, affecting children under 16 years of age. Girls are more often affected than boys and the female predominance increases significantly with age. The initial manifestations are highly variable with an insidious and progressive onset. Non-specific symptoms include fever, anorexia, weight loss and asthenia. Pericarditis is the most common cardiac manifestation in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), occurring in 10% to 40% of cases. The biological elements of the diagnosis and follow-up of pediatric SLE are identical to those of adults and are based on regular measurement of complement, native anti-DNA antibodies, and inflammatory findings. Treatment is essentially based on corticosteroid therapy.

One Case of Acute Fluid Pericarditis and Hyperthyroidism at Teaching Hospital of Bouake (Ivory Coast): Cause-Effect Relationship or Accidental Association?

Cardiovascular complications during hyperthyroidism are dominated by arrhythmias, heart failure and coronary heart disease. Pericardial effusion which is a common complication of hypothyroidism is extremely rare in hyperthyroidism. We report the case of a 45-year-old woman admitted for management of pleuro-pericarditis associated with atrial fibrillation in the context of cardiothyreosis. The treatment consisted of a pericardial puncture associated with synthetic anti-thyroid drugs and anti-tuberculosis drugs with positive clinical and echocardiographic outcomes.

Salmonella typhimurium myopericarditis: A case report and review of literature

BACKGROUND Non-typhoidal salmonella(NTS)is a rare,but well-established cause of myopericarditis.Presenting symptoms may be varied,however often revolve around the dual presentation of both myopericarditis and infectious diarrhoea.Given the rarity of NTS related myopericarditis,we conducted a systematic review of the literature,identifying 41 previously reported cases.CASE SUMMARY We present the case of an otherwise healthy 39-year old male,presenting with chest pain in the setting of documented Salmonella typhimurium infection.After further investigation with echocardiogram and laboratory blood tests,a diagnosis of NTS associated myopericarditis was made,and the patient received antibiotic treatment with an excellent clinical outcome.Overall,myopericarditis is rare in NTS.Although treatment for myopericarditis has not been well established,there are guidelines for the treatment of NTS infection.In our review,we found that the majority of NTS cases has been pericarditis(27/42,64.3%),with an average age of 48.3 years,and 71.4%being male.The average mortality across all cases was 31%.CONCLUSION Myopericarditis is a rare,but potentially serious complication of NTS infection,associated with an increased morbidity and mortality.

Cytomegalovirus hepatitis and myopericarditis

Cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection in inmunocompetent hosts generally is asymptomatic or may present as a mononucleosis syndrome but rarely can lead to severe organ complications. We report a case of simultaneous hepatic and pericardic CMV infection in a 36-year old immunocompetent man. He was admitted to coronary unit with fever, chest pain radiated to shoulders, changes on electrocardiogram with diffuse ST elevation and modest laboratory elevations in the MB fraction of creatine kinase (CK-MB) of 33.77 μg/L (0.1-6.73), serum cardiac troponin T of 0.904 ng/mL (0-0.4), creatine kinase of 454 U/L (20-195) and myoglobin of 480.4 μg/L (28-72). Routine laboratory test detected an elevation of aminotransferase level: alanine aminotransferase 1445 U/L, aspartate aminotransferase 601 U/L. We ruled out other causes of hepatitis with normal results except IgM CMV. The patient was diagnosed with myopericarditis and hepatitis caused by cytomegalovirus and started symptomatic treatment with salicylic acid. In few days the laboratory findings became normal and the patient was discharged.

Pericarditis following COVID-19 vaccination:Two case reports

BACKGROUND Coronavirus disease 2019(COVID-19)is a highly contagious viral illness which conventionally manifests with primarily respiratory symptoms and less commonly with cardiac involvement in various forms,such as pericarditis.Myocarditis and pericarditis have been reported in a variety of live and attenuated vaccines,such as smallpox and influenza.As of October 2021,no cases of pericarditis associated with COVID-19 vaccination have been published.We present two healthy male patients who present post COVID-19 vaccination with pericarditis diagnoses.CASE SUMMARY A 21-year-old male with no significant past medical history presented with myalgia,chills,mild headache,and chest pain for two days.Patient received the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine the day prior to symptom onset.On presentation,electrocardiogram(ECG)revealed sinus rhythm with ST elevation,and troponin was elevated.Emergent cardiac catheterization was not significant for abnormalities.The primary diagnosis was acute pericarditis,and the patient was discharged on colchicine and indomethacin.Additionally,a 35-year-old male with no pertinent past medical history presented with fever,chills,weakness,nausea,vomiting,diarrhea,and retrosternal chest pain for three days.He received the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine four days prior to symptom onset.On presentation,troponin was elevated,and ECG revealed mild ST elevation.Left ventricular dysfunction with ejection fraction of 41%was reported on transthoracic echocardiogram.Patient was started on ibuprofen and colchicine for diagnosis of myopericarditis.CONCLUSION These case reports highlight a potential unintended consequence,pericarditis,associated with COVID-19 vaccination that may not warrant invasive cardiac intervention.

Effect of Right Heart Systolic Function on Outcomes in Patients with Constrictive Pericarditis Undergoing Pericardiectomy

Background： To determine the influence of right ventricular function in patients with constrictive pericarditis （CP） undergoing surgery and to compare the outcomes of patients who received surgery with those managed medically. Methods： Patients with the diagnosis of CP and healthy volunteers were recruited from January 2006 to November 2011. Patients with CP chose to either receive pericardiectomy or medical management. Echocardiographic measurements were performed to evaluate heart function, and survival was recorded. Results： A total of 58 patients with CP （36 received pericardiectomy, 22 managed medically）, and 43 healthy volunteers were included. CP patients who received surgery had a higher survival rate than those managed medically （P = 0.003）, and higher st, rvival was also seen in the subgroup of CP patients with severely impaired right systolic function. Albumin level, left ventricular end-diastolic dimension, and tricuspid regurgitation velocity were associated with survival in CP patients who received surgery. Conclusions： Preoperative right heart function does not affect surgical outcomes. Patients with severely impaired preoperative right systolic function obtain a greater survival advantage with surgery than with medical treatment.

Chylous Ascites and Chylothorax Caused by Constrictive Pericarditis

Chylous ascites and chylopleura due to constrictive pericarditis are rare and characterized by white milky ascites and pleural fluid. presence of chylomicrons Diagnosis is established by the However, the treatment of this situation is very difficult. We report a case ofchylous ascites and chylotborax, in which hydrops was attributable to constrictive pericarditis. In the present case, pericardiectomy combined with thoracic duct ligation and pleurodesis cured chylous ascites and cbylothorax caused by constrictive pericarditis, which has never been previously described.

A rare chronic constrictive pericarditis with localized adherent visceral pericardium and normal parietal pericardium： a case report

Classic constrictive pericarditis （CP） is characterized by fibrous scarring and adhesion of both the visceral pericardium and the parietal pericardium, which leads to restricted cardiac filling. However, diagnosing CP with normal thickness pericardium and without calcification is still a challenge. The predominant cause in the developed world is idiopathic or viral pericarditis followed by post-cardiac surgery and post-radiation. Tuberculosis still remains a common cause of CP in developing countries. In this report, we describe a rare case of idiopathic localized constrictive visceral pericardium with normal thickness of the parietal pericardium in a middle-aged man. The patient presented with unexplained right heart failure and eehocardiography showed moderate bi-atrial enlargement which should be identified with the restrictive cardiomyopathy. After 10 months of conservative treatment, the progression of right heart failure was remaining. A pericardiectomy was performed and the patient recovered. This case serves as a reminder to consider CP in patients with unexplained right heart failure, so that timely investigation and treatment can be initiated.

Acute and recurring pericarditis: More colchicine,less corticosteroids

Acute and recurring pericarditis are frequently encountered clinical entities.Given that severe complications such as tamponade and constrictive pericarditis occur rarely,the majority of patients suffering from acute pericarditis will have a benign clinical course.However,pericarditis recurrence,with its painful symptoms,is frequent.In effect,recent studies have demonstrated a beneficial role of colchicine in preventing recurrence,while also suggesting an increase in recurrences with the use of corticosteroids,the traditional first-line agent.

Pericarditis and chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy during therapy with pegylated interferon alfa-2a for chronic hepatitis C

We report a case of pericarditis and chronic inflam- matory demyelinating polyneuropathy with biological signs of a lupus-like syndrome due to pegylated interferon alfa-2a therapy during treatment for chronic hepatitis C.The patient developed moderate weakness in the lower limbs and dyspnea.He was hospitalized for congestive heart failure.An electrocardiogram showed gradual ST-segment elevation in leads V1 through V6 without coronary artery disease.A transthoracic cardiac ultrasonographic study revealed moderate pericardial effusion with normal left ventricular function.Anti-DNA antibody and anti-ds DNA IgM were positive.Neu ro logical examination revealed a symmetrical predomina ntly sensory polyneuropathy with impairment of light touch and pin prick in globe and stoking-like distribution.Treatment with prednisolone improved the pericarditis and motor nerve disturbance and the treatment with intravenous immunoglobulin improved the sensory nerve disturbance.