Contemporary Features, Risk Factors, and Prognosis of the Post-Pericardiotomy Syndrome

• Published in: The American journal of cardiology 2011-10, Vol.108 (8), p.1183-1187
• Main Authors: Imazio, Massimo, MD, Brucato, Antonio, MD, Rovere, Maria Elena, MD, Gandino, Anna, MD, Cemin, Roberto, MD, Ferrua, Stefania, MD, Maestroni, Silvia, MD, Barosi, Alberto, MD, Simon, Caterina, MD, Ferrazzi, Paolo, MD, Belli, Riccardo, MD, Trinchero, Rita, MD, Spodick, David, MD, Adler, Yehuda, MD
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Aged; Cardiology; Cardiovascular; Colchicine - therapeutic use; Echocardiography; Female; Follow-Up Studies; Heart surgery; Humans; Incidence; Israel - epidemiology; Length of Stay - trends; Magnetic Resonance Imaging, Cine; Male; Middle Aged; Multivariate analysis; Patient admissions; Postpericardiotomy Syndrome - diagnosis; Postpericardiotomy Syndrome - epidemiology; Postpericardiotomy Syndrome - prevention & control; Prognosis; Prospective Studies; Recurrence; Risk Factors; Survival Rate - trends; Tomography, X-Ray Computed
• ISSN: 0002-9149; 1879-1913
• DOI: 10.1016/j.amjcard.2011.06.025

Contemporary series of postpericardiotomy syndrome (PPS) are lacking. The aim of this study was to evaluate the incidence, time course, features at presentation, risk factors, and prognosis of PPS. The study population consisted of 360 consecutive candidates to cardiac surgery enrolled in a prospective cohort study. PPS was diagnosed in 54 patients (15.0%; mean age 66 ± 12 years, 48.1% women): 79.6% in the first month, 13.0% in the second month, and 7.4% in the third month. Specific symptoms, signs, or features were pleuritic chest pain (55.6%), fever (53.7%), elevated markers of inflammation (74.1%), pericardial effusion (88.9%), and pleural effusion (92.6%). Cardiac tamponade was rare at presentation (1.9%). Female gender (hazard ratio 2.32, 95% confidence interval 1.22 to 4.39, p = 0.010), and pleura incision (hazard ratio 4.31, 95% confidence interval 2.22 to 8.33, p