Related Experiment Videos
[Pericardial effusion in the elderly: A different disease?].
J Mercé1, J Sagristà Sauleda, G Permanyer Miralda
1Servicio de Cardiología. Hospital General Universitari Vall d'Hebron. Barcelona, Spain. jmerce@eresmas.com
Revista Espanola De Cardiologia
|November 21, 2000
Summary
Age does not significantly alter the causes, clinical outcomes, or prognosis of moderate to large pericardial effusion. Management strategies for pericardial effusion should be consistent across all age groups, without excluding potential causes based on patient age.
Area of Science:
- Cardiology
- Geriatrics
- Internal Medicine
Context:
- Pericardial effusion is a common cardiovascular condition.
- Previous suggestions indicated potential age-related differences in pericardial effusion's presentation and progression.
- Understanding these differences is crucial for appropriate clinical management.
Purpose:
- To investigate age-related variations in the etiologic spectrum and clinical course of pericardial effusion.
- To determine if clinical management of pericardial effusion requires age-specific approaches.
Summary:
- A study compared 322 patients with moderate to large pericardial effusions, divided into younger (15-65 years) and elderly (≥66 years) groups.
- While specific infections were more frequent in younger patients, overall etiology, tamponade incidence, mortality, and constriction development were similar.
- Persistence of effusion was noted more in the elderly group.
Impact:
- Findings suggest that the etiology, clinical course, and prognosis of pericardial effusion are generally similar between elderly and younger patients.
- Clinical management of pericardial effusion should not be dictated by patient age.
- No specific etiologic form of pericardial disease should be excluded from differential diagnoses solely based on age.