Clinical Features of the Patients with Recurrent Massive Pericardial Effusion: Single Center Experience

Abstract

Objective: In this study, we aimed to determine the clinical features of patients with recurrent pericardial effusion. We also aimed to evaluate the clinical course and the outcomes of the patients with recurrent pericardial effusion who underwent percutaneous and surgical interventions. Method: 22 patients with recurrent massive pericardial effusion were retrospectively evaluated. We recorded the primary etiologies of effusion, laboratory parameters, and time of the recurrence of effusion, type of the pericardial drainage and also one year mortality of the patients after pericardial drainage. Results: Mean age of the patients was 60±16 and 64% were male. The most common cause was malignancy (31%) followed by idiopathic (27%), postcardiotomy syndrome (13,5%), renal failure(13,5%), autoimmune disease (10%), and heart failure (5%). Median recurrent time was 46 days (interquartile range 16-78 days). The characteristics of the pericardial fluid at initial intervention consist of 59.5% serohaemorrhagic, 27% serous and 13,5% hemorrhagic pericardial effusion . Majority of patients (73%) underwent subxiphoid tube drainage and the remaining patients (27%) underwent percutaneous pericardiocentesis in first intervention. 9 (40.9%) patients died in one year follow up. Of the dead patients, 55.5% had malignity, 22.2% had postcardiotomy syndrome and 22.2% had renal failure. Conclusion: The most common cause of death and recurrent pericardial effusion was malignancy. Idiopathic recurrent pericarditis, autoimmune disease and congestive heart failure are the most benign pathology in which the patients had no mortality in a 1 year follow up period.