Five children with purulent pericarditis and review of the literature

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Mohamed Salim Kabbani1, Hani Najm, Michael Godman

  • 1Cardiac Science Department, King AbdulAziz Medical City, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. mskabbani@hotmail.com

Annals of Tropical Paediatrics
|March 10, 2004
PubMed

Insights

Purulent pericarditis in children, a rare but serious condition, often caused by Haemophilus influenzae, requires prompt medical care. Early diagnosis and active management led to survival in all five pediatric cases studied.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric Cardiology
  • Infectious Diseases
  • Critical Care Medicine

Background:

  • Purulent pericarditis is a rare, life-threatening cardiac emergency.
  • It is infrequently observed in Western countries but persists in developing nations.
  • Prompt diagnosis and intervention are crucial for patient outcomes.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To report on the clinical experience with pediatric purulent pericarditis.
  • To highlight the causative agents and treatment outcomes.
  • To emphasize the importance of early management in survival.

Main Methods:

  • Retrospective case series analysis.
  • Review of five pediatric cases of purulent pericarditis diagnosed between 1998 and 2002.
  • Microbiological analysis to identify causative pathogens.

Main Results:

  • Haemophilus influenzae was the predominant pathogen, identified in four out of five cases.
  • All five children with purulent pericarditis survived.
  • Active and timely medical management was employed.

Conclusions:

  • Purulent pericarditis in children, though rare, necessitates urgent intervention.
  • Haemophilus influenzae is a significant causative agent in pediatric cases.
  • Successful outcomes are achievable with prompt and comprehensive management.

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