Key result
The principal cause of pericardial effusion requiring pericardiocentesis was postpericardiectomy syndrome after cardiac surgery, followed by neoplastic pericardial effusion.
Why the study?
Pericardial effusions requiring pericardiocentesis have multiple causes that vary across geographic regions and health contexts, prompting this evaluation of principal causes and indications in Latin America.
What are the principal causes of pericardial effusion and indications for pericardiocentesis in a contemporary Latin American cohort?
Observational (n=116)
No
What are the principal causes of pericardial effusion and indications for pericardiocentesis in a contemporary Latin American cohort?
In a contemporary Latin American cohort, postpericardiectomy syndrome and neoplasia were the leading causes of pericardial effusion requiring pericardiocentesis, challenging the historical paradigm of tuberculous pericarditis in developing countries.
Post-cardiac surgery effusions predominate in this Latin American series; leaves open whether regional etiologies differ from other continents.
Pericardial effusions requiring pericardiocentesis have multiple causes that vary among geographical regions and health contexts. This procedure can be performed for diagnostic or therapeutic indications. The purpose of this study was to identify the principal causes of pericardial effusions and indications for pericardiocentesis, exploring differences among groups. This was a retrospective case series of patients who underwent pericardiocentesis for pericardial effusion in a single center in Latin America. Demographic, clinical, echocardiographic, and procedural variables were recorded and analyzed. The primary outcome was to determine the causes of pericardial effusions in these patients and the indication (diagnostic, therapeutic, or both). The results are presented in two groups (inflammatory and noninflammatory) according to the cause of the pericardial effusion. One hundred sixteen patients with pericardial effusion underwent pericardiocentesis. The median age was 58 years (IQR 46.2-70.7), and 50% were male. In the noninflammatory pericardial effusion group, there were 61 cases (53%), among which neoplastic pericardial effusion was the most frequent cause (n = 25, 40.9%). In the inflammatory group, there were 55 cases (47%), and the main cause was postpericardiectomy syndrome after cardiac surgery (n = 31, 56.4%). In conclusion, the principal indication for pericardiocentesis was therapeutic (n = 66, 56.8%). Large pericardial effusion without hemodynamic effect of cardiac tamponade was significantly more frequent in the inflammatory group (p = 0.03). The principal cause of pericardial effusion in patients who underwent pericardiocentesis was postpericardiectomy syndrome after cardiac surgery, followed by neoplastic pericardial effusion. Pericardiocentesis is mainly a therapeutic procedure.
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Portillo-Navarrete et al. (2022) conducted an observational in Pericardial effusion requiring pericardiocentesis (n=116). Pericardial effusion etiology was evaluated on Causes of pericardial effusion and indication for pericardiocentesis. The principal cause of pericardial effusion requiring pericardiocentesis was postpericardiectomy syndrome after cardiac surgery, followed by neoplastic pericardial effusion.
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