Thesis (M.Sc.) - Cairo University - Faculty of Medicine - Department of Cardiology

Background: Pericardial diseases are common, have multiple causes and are important cause of patients morbidity. Pericardial diseases can manifest as acute pericarditis, isolated pericardial effusion with or without cardiac tamponade or constrictive pericarditis. The aim of this study: This study aimed to identify the clinical and demographic characteristics of patients with pericardial diseases admitted to a tertiary care center and detection of the predictors of inhospital mortality and morbidity among them. Methods: A total of 120 patients aged 8 to 74 years (mean age 42.9 ± 15.7 years, 59 men) admitted to Kasr Al Aini hospital, Cairo University with definite pericardial disease were prospectively evaluated from February 1, 2013 till August 31, 2014. All patients were subjected to full history taking, clinical examination, routine labs (including cardiac Troponin I, ESR, CRP), ECG, TTE and analysis of pericardial fluid if pericardiocentesis was done. All patients were followed up during hospital stay and for a period of 30 days after discharge.Results: According to the final diagnosis of pericardial diseases, the study included 45 patients (37.5%) with acute pericarditis, 105 patients (87.5%) with pericardial effusion and 5 patients (4.1%) with consrtrictive pericarditis. The most common aetiologies were idiopathic (18.3%), renal failure (16.7%), hypothyroidism (10.8%), rheumatic fever (9.2%) and malignancy (9.2%). In acute pericarditis; chest pain was present in 77.7% of patients, pericardial rub in 82.2%, ECG changes (ST segment elevation and/or PR segment depression) in 55.6%, and myopericarditis in 22 patients (48.8%). Cardiac tamponade was present in 24.7% of patients with pericardial effusion. By echocardiography, moderate and severe pericardial effusion were present in 77 patients (73.3%)

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