Abstract
Unidentified infection of the respiratory tract preceded the onset of acute nonspecific pericarditis in 16 of our 18 patients. Chest pain and pericardial friction rub occurred almost simultaneously or preceded the appearance of fever, leukocytosis, and elevation of the sedimentation rate. Serial electrocardiograms with or without a pericardial friction rub clearly made the differential diagnosis between acute myocardial infarction and acute non-specific pericarditis. None of the therapeutic agents proved specific. Complete recovery was recorded in all. In the follow-up study there was no evidence of constrictive pericarditis, constrictive pleuritis, residual rheumatic heart disease, or enlarged cardiac silhouette.
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