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Published on: February 17, 2018
[Long term evolution of chronic constrictive pericarditis. A study of 56 patients]
A Thia1, F Prunier, J B Subayi
1Service de cardiologie, CHU, Angers.
Insights
Chronic constrictive pericarditis remains a serious condition with unchanged annual frequency. Prognostic factors for mortality include radiotherapy history, age, and hyponatremia, even after pericardectomy.
Area of Science:
- Cardiology
- Thoracic Surgery
Context:
- Chronic constrictive pericarditis (CCP) diagnosis and management over 23 years.
- Analysis of 56 consecutive CCP patients.
Purpose:
- To analyze the evolution of CCP frequency and etiology.
- To identify prognostic factors for mortality in CCP patients.
- To evaluate outcomes following pericardectomy.
Summary:
- CCP annual frequency remains stable at 2.4 cases/year.
- Tuberculous etiology decreased; cardiac surgery and radiotherapy complications increased.
- Pericardectomy performed in 41 patients; 61.8% overall mortality.
- Predictors of mortality: radiotherapy history, age, hyponatremia.
- Predictors of cardiovascular mortality: first-degree atrio-ventricular block.
Impact:
- CCP is a significant pathology with high mortality.
- Pericardectomy improves function but has a >60% 10-year mortality rate.
- Radiotherapy and hyponatremia are critical prognostic indicators post-pericardectomy.
Objective And Method:
We retrospectively analysed 56 consecutive patients with a confirmed diagnosis of chronic constrictive pericarditis over a period of 23 years. The objective was to analyse the evolution of the annual frequency of constrictive pericarditis, its aetiology and to define the prognostic factors for mortality.
Results:
The annual frequency of constrictive pericarditis has not diminished over the 23 years of this study, remaining at 2.4 cases per year. Cases with a tuberculous origin have diminished progressively, being replaced by complications of cardiac surgery and mediastinal radiotherapy. Pericardectomy was performed in 41 patients and the average follow up was 9.5 +/- 8.6 years. By the end of the study, 34 patients had died (61.8%), 18 from a cardiovascular cause (38.3%). The independent predictive factors for overall mortality were a history of mediastinal radiotherapy, the age, and plasma sodium level. Only the presence of first degree atrio-ventricular block was an independent predictive factor for cardiovascular mortality. In the pericardectomy group, 24 patients died (60%). A history of mediastinal radiotherapy and the presence of pre-operative hyponatraemia were independent predictive factors for overall mortality.
Conclusion:
Constrictive pericarditis remains a serious pathology. Pericardectomy allows a clear functional improvement, but following pericardectomy more than 60% of patients will die within 10 years of the diagnosis being made.
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