US National Trends in the Management and Outcomes of Constrictive Pericarditis: 2005-2014

Patient characteristics, trends in the management strategy, and outcomes of patients with constrictive pericarditis have not been characterized at the national scale.

Annual trends of patients admitted to hospitals in the United States with constrictive pericarditis were evaluated using the National Inpatient Sample dataset between 2005 and 2014. Poisson regression models adjusting for the US census population estimate were fitted to evaluate trends in the incidence of constrictive pericarditis, isolated pericardiectomy, and cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) use. Descriptive analyses were performed to compare patient characteristics and in-hospital mortality rates between surgically and medically managed cohorts.

During 2005-2014, 29,487 patients were admitted with constrictive pericarditis. Sixteen percent underwent isolated pericardiectomy. The prevalence of constrictive pericarditis remained stable between 2005 and 2014 at 9-10 cases per million, but proportion of patients undergoing isolated pericardiectomy decreased from 18% in 2005 to 15% in 2014 (P = 0.001 for trend). CPB use increased from 15% to 29% (P < 0.001). Compared with medically managed patients, the pericardiectomy cohort was younger (age 57 vs 61 years, P < 0.001), less likely to be female (25% vs 41%, P < 0.001), and harboured fewer comorbidities. In-hospital mortality was 7.3% for those undergoing pericardiectomy and 6.8% for a medically managed cohort (P = 0.58) and operative mortality was stable across years (P = 0.99 for trend).

The prevalence of constrictive pericarditis remained stable between 2005 and 2014 at 9-10 cases per million. Surgical management was infrequent, with younger and less comorbid patients being more likely to be managed operatively. Increasing use of CPB without a change in operative mortality highlights the persisting challenge of this complex disease.