A new classification for pericarditis associated with meningococcal infection.
Acute meningococcal pericarditis is a rare clinical disorder. Our review of the literature disclosed that current classifications are confusing since they fail to differentiate between two distinct criteria: time and causality. We suggest a new classification of the various states of meningococcal pericarditis on the basis of the pathophysiological process: disseminated meningococcal disease with pericarditis (purulent, culture-positive, associated with meningococcal bacteraemia); isolated meningococcal pericarditis (purulent, culture-positive but without signs of meningeal or other clinical systemic involvement); and reactive meningococcal pericarditis (immunological, late-onset, culture-negative, resembling post-viral pericarditis). It is essential that clinicians recognize the various states of the disease, since they differ in natural history, treatment and prognosis.


CONCLUSIONS
From personal experience and a literature review it emerges that meningococcal pericarditis should be classified as: (1) Pericarditis as local manifestation of disseminated meningococcal disease; (2) isolated meningococcal pericarditis; (3) reactive (immunopathic) meningococcal pericarditis.
Finkelstein
Y
Y
Department of Paediatrics C, Schneider Children's Medical Centre of Israel, Petah Tiqva.
Adler
Y
Y
Nussinovitch
M
M
Varsano
I
I
Amir
J
J
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D008589:Meningococcal Infections / Q000145:classification* / Q000453:epidemiology; D010493:Pericarditis / Q000145:classification* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology*