Key result
Severe COVID-19 infection can lead to the development of constrictive pericarditis, which in this case was successfully managed with pericardiocentesis, ibuprofen, and colchicine.
Why the study?
To document a rare case of constrictive pericarditis in the setting of a recent COVID-19 infection.
Case Report (n=1)
No
This case report highlights that COVID-19 infection can lead to the rare complication of constrictive pericarditis, which can be successfully managed with pericardiocentesis and anti-inflammatory medical therapy.
Raises possibility of constrictive pericarditis after severe COVID-19; hypothesis-generating case report requiring confirmation before clinical adoption.
This report documents a rare case of COVID-19-associated constrictive pericarditis (CP) in the setting of a recent COVID-19 infection. A 55-year-old man with a history of hypertension and gout presented with acute hypoxic respiratory failure and was diagnosed with COVID-19 pneumonia with progression to acute respiratory distress syndrome. His hospital course was complicated by a large pericardial effusion; an emergent bedside transthoracic echocardiography was concerning for cardiac tamponade, so pericardiocentesis was performed. A workup with cardiac magnetic resonance imaging showed changes consistent with a diagnosis of CP. Viral and idiopathic aetiologies are the most common cause of CP in the developed world, with COVID-19 now a proposed predisposing viral illness. The virus induces systemic inflammation and pericardial changes that can lead to CP physiology. Imaging modalities including echocardiogram and cardiac magnetic resonance play an integral role in confirming the diagnosis.
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Beckerman et al. (2021) conducted a case report in COVID-19-associated constrictive pericarditis (n=1). COVID-19 infection was evaluated on Clinical outcome of constrictive pericarditis. Severe COVID-19 infection can lead to the development of constrictive pericarditis, which in this case was successfully managed with pericardiocentesis, ibuprofen, and colchicine.
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