From the Guidelines
Post-COVID-19 pericarditis is a condition characterized by inflammation of the pericardium, which can cause symptoms such as chest pain, electrocardiographic changes, and pericardial effusion.
Symptoms of Post-COVID-19 Pericarditis
- Chest pain
- Electrocardiographic changes
- Pericardial effusion
- Palpitations
- Signs and symptoms of heart failure
Treatment Options for Post-COVID-19 Pericarditis
- Transthoracic echocardiography (TTE) is the first-line imaging modality for evaluating pericardial pathology 1
- Cardiac MRI may be performed on a case-by-case basis with a specific clinical question in mind, such as athletes returning to physical activity 1
- Treatment should be based on symptoms, and further investigation for cardiac abnormalities should be performed according to symptoms in patients presenting with cardiac symptoms 1
- There is no specific treatment recommended for post-COVID-19 pericarditis, but it is essential to monitor patients with persistent symptoms suggestive of perimyocardial injury 1
- A repeat TTE may be performed at 2 to 3 months for patients who had cardiac abnormalities during acute disease (myocarditis, pericarditis, heart failure) 1
From the Research
Symptoms of Post-COVID-19 Pericarditis
- Chest pain (60%) 2
- Fever (51%) 2
- Shortness of breath (51%) 2
- Cough (39%) 2
- Fatigue (15%) 2
- Myalgia (12%) 2
- Diarrhea (12%) 2
- Leukocytosis with neutrophil predominance, elevated D-dimer, erythrocyte rate, and C-reactive protein 2
- Elevated cardiac markers including troponin-1, troponin-T, and brain natriuretic peptide 2
Treatment Options for Post-COVID-19 Pericarditis
- Colchicine 2, 3, 4
- Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) 2, 3, 4, 5
- Corticosteroids 2, 5
- Interventional therapy (only needed when patient develops cardiac tamponade) 2
- Therapeutic pericardiocentesis (for significant pericardial effusion and tamponade) 5
Diagnostic Methods
- Electrocardiography (ECG) 2, 4
- Echocardiogram 2, 4
- Radiographic imaging of the chest 2
- Laboratory tests (including complete blood count, C-reactive protein, and cardiac markers) 2, 4