Pericarditis is an inflammation of the lining surrounding the heart
(the pericardial sac). Pericardial effusion is a collection of fluid in the
pericardial sac. This fluid may be produced by inflammation. The cause of
pericarditis in most individuals is unknown but is likely due to viral
infection. This study was to
describe the etiological and evolutionary aspects of fluid pericarditis in
pediatric cardiology at Institute of Cardiology of Abidjan (ICA).
The authors conducted a retrospective study of 42 cases of fluid pericarditis
diagnosed among 202 children hospitalized over a five-year period (1st January
2009 to 31st December 2014). All patients with pericardial
effusion were included in the study. The prevalence was estimated at 20.8%
of hospitalizations, sex ratio was 1.1 with a female predominance (52%)
and the mean age at 9.2 years old (11 days old to 15 years old).
The results indicated that dyspnea (64%), cardiomegaly (24%), fever
(10%) and chest pain (48%) were dominated by the discovery. The most frequently
seen radiological abnormality was cardiomegaly (100%). The mean of the
cardiothoracic index (I.C.T) was 0.71 with extremes ranging from 0.59 to 0.87. The
etiological investigation made it possible to link fluid pericarditis to a
cause in all the patients and the etiologic varieties identified were:
tuberculosis 22 cases, 52%, rheumatic pericarditis 6 cases (14.3%), chronic
parietal endocarditis 5 cases (11.9%), bacterial pericarditis with trivial germ
3 cases (7.1% 3 cases (7.1%), post-surgery syndrome 2 cases (4.8%), umbilical
post-catheterization 1 case (2.4%). HIV serology was positive in 11.9% of
cases. The progression was favorable in 55% of the cases with 10% of deaths.
In conclusion, fluid
pericarditis in children is a severe condition that is clearly on the rise
today, especially in immunocompromised patients. Optimal management of fluid
pericarditis in children is the best guarantee to avoid short-term tamponade
and in the medium term constriction.
Article
by Richard
Azagoh-Kouadi, et al, from Côte d’Ivoire.
Full
access: http://mrw.so/3q5WPc
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