Abstract 16344: Pericardial Complications in Patients With COVID-19: A Systematic Review of Published Cases

Abstract

Introduction: COVID-19 has been linked to cardiac damage and life-threatening pericardial complication on which data are trivial which incited us to perform this review of published case reports. Methods: PubMed/Medline, Web of Science and SCOPUS were searched until June 2020 for case reports on COVID-19-associated pericarditis, cardiac tamponade or pericardial effusion. Results: We identified 8 articles reporting 11 COVID-19 positive cases [mean age: 51.4±14.3 (34-78 yrs) 5 male/6 female)] with pericardial complications. All (100%) cases were COVID-19 positive at the presentation with ~80% having dyspnea, chest pain and cough. Time interval from first symptom to pericardial effusion was 7±8 (1-26) days. Five patients reported heart failure with reduced EF on echocardiography with mean LVEF 36.25%±8.54%. All patients showed nearly normal Troponin-I without angiographically significant stenosis except one. Out of 8 cases on echocardiography 4 cases reported with diffuse hypokinesia, 2 reported inferior and inferolateral walls hypokinesia and 2 reported signs of pericardial tamponade. Out of 11 patients, cardiovascular risk factors in the form of diabetes or hypertension or obesity were present in 5 patients. Cardiovascular comorbidities such as heart failure with low ejection fraction, non-ischemic cardiomyopathy and prior myocarditis were present in 3 patients. ST-segment elevation in 3, sinus tachycardia in 2, T wave inversion in 1 case were noted. Four patients developed cardiac tamponade, 1 developed takotsubo syndrome and 3 patients died. Conclusions: COVID-19 patients had signs of a high burden of cardiac injury. Pericardial complications (pericardial effusion and cardiac tamponade) remain infrequent complications which may require prompt care to avoid mortality.