Transient constrictive pericarditis associated with COVID-19: a two-year follow-up and treatment

One of the most serious long-term consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic is constrictive pericarditis. This case demonstrates transient constriction in a young previously healthy woman. Transient nature of constrictive pericarditis was only thanks to extensive therapy and coordinated work of cardiac surgeon, cardiologist and rheumatologist. This case is typical in that it manifests a certain period after the main symptoms of the novel coronavirus infection. Constrictive pericarditis is suspected as the last in a series of multiple examinations. There were trivial changes in cardiac imaging, including standard echocardiography, up to the stage of anasarca. Interestingly, cardiac surgeons preferred therapeutic approach despite severe clinical status and multicomponent drug therapy for pericarditis including standard anti-inflammatory drugs (colchicine and nonsteroidal agents) and interleukin-1 inhibitors and human immunoglobulin. The last ones were previously unused In Russia for this purpose. Furthermore, the authors present a scheme of new echocardiographic parameters in the management of patients with constrictive pericarditis. This scheme was not previously used for decision-making in similar patients.