Trends of Acute Pericarditis-Related Mortality in the United States from 1999 to 2023: An Observational Analysis

Background: Acute pericarditis (AP) is the acute inflammation of the pericardium that may be associated with infectious or non-infectious etiologies. A comprehensive analytical review of the mortality trends associated with AP is essential in order to identify population groups that are at the highest risk of mortality. Methods: We extracted age-adjusted mortality rates (AAMRs) per 100,000 persons from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Wide-ranging ONline Data for Epidemiologic Research (WONDER) database. Data were stratified according to sex, census regions, and urbanization. Changes in AAMRs were analyzed by calculating annual percentage change (APC) through Joinpoint regression. Results: A total of 4,706 deaths were reported among individuals with AP in the United States from 1999 to 2023. The AAMRs decreased considerably from 1999 to 2014 (APC: -4.48), followed by an increase till 2023 (APC: 5.67). Males had a higher overall AAMR (0.07) in comparison to females (0.04). The AAMRs for both males and females decreased initially (male 1999-2006 APC: -8.16; female 1999-2010 APC: -4.90), followed by an increase until 2023 (male 2006-2023 APC: 1.76; female 2010-2023 APC: 1.65). The West exhibited the highest AAMR (0.07), followed by the Midwest (0.06), the South (0.05), and the Northeast (0.04). Individuals residing in non-metropolitan areas exhibited a higher AAMR (0.06) compared to those residing in metropolitan areas (0.04). The AAMR for non-metropolitan areas remained stable (APC: -0.36), whereas that for metropolitan areas declined considerably (APC: -3.05). Conclusion: These findings highlight the need for the implementation of focused public health policies, equitable resource allocation, and improved cardiovascular health care facilities to mitigate the rising AP-related AAMRs in vulnerable populations, especially male residents of the West and Midwest census regions.