Purulent pericarditis: report of 2 cases and review of the literature.
Purulent pericarditis, a localized infection within the pericardial space, has become a rare entity in the modern antibiotic era. Although historically a disease of children and young adults, this is no longer the case: the median age at the time of diagnosis has increased by nearly 30 years over the past 6 decades. Despite advances in diagnostic and treatment modalities, purulent pericarditis remains a life-threatening illness. Unfortunately, the diagnosis is made postmortem in more than half the cases. Thus, a high index of clinical suspicion is crucial. We present 2 cases of purulent pericarditis, and provide an updated review of other case series published over the past 60 years.
Parikh
Shailja V
SV
From the Departments of Internal Medicine, Divisions of Cardiology at University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center (SVP, JS, DKM), Dallas, Texas; Washington University (NM), St. Louis, Missouri; Duke University (ME), Durham, North Carolina; and University of Virginia (ECK), Charlottesville, Virginia.
Memon
Nada
N
Echols
Melvin
M
Shah
Jessica
J
McGuire
Darren K
DK
Keeley
Ellen C
EC
D000785:Aneurysm, Infected / Q000175:diagnosis; D017545:Aortic Aneurysm, Thoracic / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000601:surgery; D001424:Bacterial Infections / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000601:surgery; D041221:Candida glabrata; D002177:Candidiasis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000601:surgery; D002305:Cardiac Tamponade / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000601:surgery; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D005260:Female; D015725:Fluconazole / Q000008:administration & dosage; D016908:Gram-Positive Bacterial Infections / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000601:surgery; D006801:Humans; D007262:Infusions, Intravenous; D008297:Male; D055624:Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus; D008875:Middle Aged; D010406:Penicillins / Q000008:administration & dosage; D010490:Pericardial Effusion / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000601:surgery; D010491:Pericardial Window Techniques; D020519:Pericardiocentesis; D010493:Pericarditis / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000601:surgery; D011425:Propionibacterium acnes; D013203:Staphylococcal Infections / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000601:surgery; D013290:Streptococcal Infections / Q000175:diagnosis; D013292:Streptococcus agalactiae; D013492:Suppuration / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000601:surgery; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed; D014640:Vancomycin / Q000008:administration & dosage
D010406:Penicillins; D014640:Vancomycin; D015725:Fluconazole