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.
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.
Shailja V
SV
Parikh
Nada
N
Memon
Melvin
M
Echols
Jessica
J
Shah
Darren K
DK
McGuire
Ellen C
EC
Keeley
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