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Risk prediction in pericarditis: who to keep in hospital?

Correspondence to:
Professor D H Spodick, Medical Services, St Vincent Hospital, Worcester Medical Center, 123 Summer Street, Worcester, MA, USA; david.spodick@stvincenthospital.com

The first 150 words of the full text of this article appear below.

Newly diagnosed acute pericarditis requires rapid risk prediction in three major categories:

1. Short-term, immediately threatening, complications.
   
2. Aetiology/probable aetiology.
   
3. Significant long-term complications.
   

Whom to keep in hospital involves the first and to some extent the second of these categories.

RISK PREDICTION
Imazio and colleagues have greatly clarified risk prediction and management of acute and recurrent pericarditis through series of long overdue, carefully designed, prospective investigations.^1–4 Fortunately, their evidence-based results largely confirm many solid observational studies by single and multicentre investigators—notably, Adler,⁵ Brucato,⁶ Permanyer⁷ and their colleagues. A variable element of myocarditis is common with most acute pericarditis (myopericarditis), often clouding the complete evaluation of the patient. In this issue of Heart, Imazio and colleagues add to their many contributions by clarifying the differential diagnosis of myopericarditis (see article on page 498).⁸

While admitting all patients to hospital would cover all possibilities, Imazio’s probabilistic approach avoids the inconveniences, inefficiencies and expense . . . [Full text of this article]

Related Article

Myopericarditis versus viral or idiopathic acute pericarditis

M Imazio, E Cecchi, B Demichelis, A Chinaglia, S Ierna, D Demarie, A Ghisio, F Pomari, R Belli, and R Trinchero
Heart 2008 94: 498-501. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]