Recurrent pericarditis in children and adolescents: a multicentre cohort study

Massimo Imazio*, Antonio Brucato, Nikki Pluymaekers, Luciana Breda, Giovanni Calabri, Luca Cantarini, Rolando Cimaz, Filomena Colimodio, Fabrizia Corona, Davide Cumetti, Chiara Di Blasi Lo Cuccio, Marco Gattorno, Antonella Insalaco, Giuseppe Limongelli, Maria Giovanna Russoi, Anna Valenti, Yaron Finkelstein, Alberto Martini

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticleAcademicpeer-review

Abstract

Objective Limited data are available about recurrent pericarditis in children. We sought to explore contemporary causes, characteristics, therapies and outcomes of recurrent pericarditis in paediatric patients. Methods A multicentre (eight sites) cohort study of 110 consecutive cases of paediatric patients with at least two recurrences of pericarditis over an 11-year period (2000-2010) [median 13 years, interquartile range (IQR) 5, 69 boys]. Results Recurrences were idiopathic or viral in 89.1% of cases, followed by postpericardiotomy syndrome (9.1%) and familial Mediterranean fever (0.9%). Recurrent pericarditis was treated with nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) in 80.9% of cases, corticosteroids in 64.8% and colchicine was added in 61.8%. Immunosuppressive therapies were administered in 15.5% of patients after subsequent recurrences. After a median follow-up of 60th months, 528 subsequent recurrences were recorded (median 3, range 2-25). Corticosteroid-treated patients experienced more recurrences (standardized risk of recurrence per 100 person-years was 93.2 for patients treated with corticosteroids and 45.2 for those without), side effects and disease-related hospitalizations (for all P
Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)707-712
JournalJournal of Cardiovascular Medicine
Volume17
Issue number9
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - Sept 2016

Keywords

  • children
  • corticosteroids
  • pericarditis
  • prognosis
  • recurrent pericarditis

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