Clinical features in patients with idiopathic recurrent acute pericarditis (n=40)
| Clinical course: | |
| Symptom duration (years, median) | 5, range 1–22 |
| Relapses/year | 1.8±1, range 1–5 |
| Hospital admissions | 3±2, range 1–9 |
| Follow-up (years), median | 8, range 1–43 |
| New York Heart Association at last follow-up, n (%) | I, 39 (98%); II, 1 (2%) |
| Two-dimensional echocardiography (last follow-up): | |
| Mean end-diastolic diameter (mm) | 48±3 |
| Mean end-diastolic septal thickness (mm) | 10±1 |
| Mean left ventricular ejection fraction (%) | 62±4 |
| Treatment at any time of follow-up, n, (%): | 40 (100) |
| Steroids | 34 (85) |
| Colchicine | 34 (85) |
| Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs | 40 (100) |
| Immunosuppressant agents*, pericardiocentesis and/or pericardiectomy | 7 (17) |
| Treatment at last follow-up, n (%): | 21 (52) |
| Steroids | 16 (40) |
| Colchicine | 17 (42) |
| Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs | 13 (32) |
| Any drug combination | 16 (40) |
↵* Azathioprine (n=3); methotrexate and prednisone (n=2); ciclosporin A and prednisone (n=2).