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Children presenting with acute pericarditis to the emergency department

Savithiri Ratnapalan1, Kristen Brown, Lee Benson

  • 1Division of Emergency Medicine, The Hospital for Sick Children, University of Toronto, Ontario, Canada. savithiri.ratnapalan@sickkids.ca

Pediatric Emergency Care
|June 30, 2011
PubMed

Insights

Pediatric pericarditis often presents with chest pain and ECG changes. Most children improve with anti-inflammatory drugs, but recurrence is common, necessitating careful follow-up.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric Cardiology
  • Pediatric Emergency Medicine
  • Cardiovascular Diseases

Background:

  • Pericarditis in children is a significant condition requiring evaluation of clinical features and outcomes.
  • Understanding the presentation and management of pediatric pericarditis is crucial for timely diagnosis and treatment.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To evaluate the clinical features and outcomes of children diagnosed with acute pericarditis.
  • To identify common etiologies and treatment responses in pediatric pericarditis cases.

Main Methods:

  • A retrospective chart review was conducted for children diagnosed with acute pericarditis between January 2000 and March 2007.
  • Data analysis focused on clinical presentation, diagnostic findings, etiology, treatment, and recurrence rates.

Main Results:

  • The study included 22 children (mean age 12.3 years, 80% males) diagnosed with pericarditis.
  • Chest pain (96%) and fever (56%) were common; all had ECG abnormalities. Echocardiography revealed pericardial effusion in 82%, with 32% requiring pericardiocentesis.
  • Idiopathic etiology was most common (68%). All patients improved with nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, but 36% experienced recurrent pericarditis.

Conclusions:

  • Children with chest pain and abnormal electrocardiograms require further investigation for pericarditis.
  • Prompt diagnosis and treatment are essential, with a notable risk of recurrence in pediatric pericarditis patients.
Abstract

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