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Pericardial hyperechogenicity and "comets" in patients with acute pericarditis but no pericardial effusion: a

Daniele Sartorio1, Carmine Siniscalchi, Claudio Reverberi

  • 1. ngaibazzi@gmail.com.

Acta Bio-Medica : Atenei Parmensis
|May 11, 2016
PubMed

Insights

Echocardiography may reveal "pericardial comets" in acute pericarditis patients. While more frequent in those with pericarditis, this finding has limited clinical use due to its presence in healthy young individuals.

Area of Science:

  • Cardiology
  • Diagnostic Imaging
  • Medical Ultrasound

Background:

  • Acute pericarditis diagnosis is primarily clinical.
  • Echocardiographic findings lack strong association with acute pericarditis, excluding pericardial effusion.
  • Novel echocardiographic markers like pericardial hyperechogenicity and
  • pericardial comets
  • were hypothesized to be associated with acute pericarditis.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the association between pericardial hyperechogenicity and "pericardial comets" with acute pericarditis.
  • To compare echocardiographic findings in pericarditis patients versus healthy controls.

Main Methods:

  • Retrospective analysis of echocardiograms from patients under 50 with confirmed pericarditis.
  • Comparison with two healthy control groups (under and over 50 years old).

Main Results:

  • No significant difference in hyperechogenicity or comets between pericarditis and age-matched controls (<50 years).
  • Elderly controls (>50 years) showed significantly lower prevalence of hyperechogenicity and comets.
  • Patients with pericarditis had a significantly higher prevalence of at least 2 pericardial comets (68%) compared to age-matched controls (48%).

Conclusions:

  • Pericardial hyperechogenicity and comets are age-influenced, inversely proportional to age.
  • At least 2 pericardial comets are more frequent in pericarditis patients than age-matched controls.
  • The clinical utility of "pericardial comets" is limited by their frequent detection in healthy young individuals.
Abstract

Keywords:
Pericarditiscomet artefactechocardiography.hyperechogenicity

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