Can troponin elevation predict worse prognosis in patients with acute pericarditis?

Acute toxoplasmosis complicated with myopericarditis and possible encephalitis in an immunocompetent patient

We document a case of a 34-year-old man with no medical previous history, presenting with lymphoproliferative syndrome associated to Toxoplasma gondii infection complicated with myopericarditis and possible encephalitis, whose diagnosis was made with lymph node biopsy, cardiac imaging, serology compatible with acute toxoplasmosis and clinical response after treatment.

[Clinical characteristics and follow-up of patients with magnetic resonance imaging confirmed myopericarditis: A retrospective study]

INTRODUCTION

Pericarditis are frequently associated with some degree of concomitant myocardial involvement. Predominant pericarditis with limited myocardial involvement are named myopericarditis. Data regarding myopericarditis are scarce.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

Retrospective chart review of all patients admitted between 2002 and 2011 with magnetic resonance imaging confirmed myopericarditis.

RESULTS

Twenty-seven patients were included. Eighty-one percent were men, with median age of 32 years. Infectious disease preceded hospitalization in 55% of cases. Mean left ventricle ejection fraction at admission was 55% with focal myocardial impairment mainly localized in lateral and inferior walls. Coronary angiogram was performed in 37% of cases to rule out an ischaemic aetiology. We identified 5 cases (19%) of myopericarditis preceded by an episode of streptococcus group A throat infection. Non-sustained ventricular tachycardia was observed in 15% of cases. After a 2-year follow-up period, mortality rate was zero and recurrence rate was 15%.

CONCLUSIONS

In our series, myopericarditis was a benign disease affecting mostly young men, and prognosis was good. A significant proportion of cases was preceded by group A streptococcus infection.

[Troponin elevation in the absence of acute coronary syndrome]

Cardiac troponins are the most sensitive and specific markers of myocardial injury. Cardiac troponin elevation are common in many diseases and do not necessarily indicate the presence of a thrombotic acute coronary syndrome. In clinical practice, interpretation of dynamic changes of troponin may be challenging. Troponin evaluation should be performed only if clinically indicated and must be interpreted in the context of clinical presentation, ECG changes, troponin level and kinetic. In the absence of thrombotic acute coronary syndrom, troponin retains a prognostic value. Its practical interest as a risk criteria is limited to a few situations like pulmonary embolism, pericarditis an myocarditis.

Pericarditis and pericardial effusions in the military patient

The pericardium is the thin double-walled sac encapsulating the heart which has a number of important physiological roles including fixing the heart in the mediastinum, protecting it from cross-organ infection (eg, lung) and lubricating cardiac contraction. The pericardium is associated with several disease syndromes that occasionally affect the military population. These include acute and recurrent pericarditis, pericardial effusion and tamponade, which may result from a large number of different aetiological agents. Pericardial diseases have a wide range of clinical manifestations and the diagnosis of pericardial diseases can be a challenge. This article reviews the anatomy and pathophysiology of pericarditis and pericardial effusions before outlining their clinical features, recommended investigations and management options. Particular emphasis is placed on the impact of these diseases for patients in a military occupational environment.

The non-cardiac use and significance of cardiac troponins

Cardiac Troponins are blood markers of myocardial damage and are widely utilised across all acute medical departments. However, with a massive rise in requests for this test, the interpretation of raised serum levels in the absence of cardiac sounding clinical features can become a clinical conundrum. This is especially true if the numerous causes of positive test results are not fully appreciated. A thorough understanding of the strengths and weaknesses of this blood test in light of a patient population living longer, increasing in comorbidities and possible causes of false test results can provide invaluable support in establishing an accurate diagnosis and instigating effective management. This article will describe the history of cardiac markers along with a discussion of the various causes of elevated cardiac troponins outside acute coronary syndrome. It will elaborate on the applications and significance of this blood test and the potential uses of positive results with elevated serum Troponin levels.

Management of pericarditis and myocarditis: could heart-rate-reducing drugs hold a promise?

Rest is usually recommended in acute pericarditis and acute myocarditis. Given that myocarditis often leads to hospitalization, this task seems easy to carry out in hospital practice; however, it could be a real challenge at home in daily life. Heart rate-lowering treatments (mainly beta-blockers) are usually recommended in case of acute myocarditis, especially in case of heart failure or arrhythmias, but level of proof remains weak. Calcium channel inhibitors and digoxin are sometimes proposed, albeit in limited situations. It is possible that rest or even heart rate-lowering treatments could help to manage these patients by preventing heart failure as well as by limiting "mechanical inflammation" and controlling arrhythmias, especially life-threatening ones. Whether heart rate has an effect on inflammation remains unclear. Several questions remain unsolved, such as the duration of such treatments, especially in light of new heart rate-lowering treatments, such as ivabradine. In this review, we discuss rest and heart-rate lowering medications for the treatment of pericarditis and myocarditis. We also highlight some work in experimental models that indicates the beneficial effects of such treatments for these conditions. Finally, we suggest certain experimental avenues, through the use of animal models and clinical studies, which could lead to improved management of these patients.

Good prognosis for pericarditis with and without myocardial involvement: results from a multicenter, prospective cohort study

BACKGROUND

The natural history of myopericarditis/perimyocarditis is poorly known, and recently published studies have presented contrasting data on their outcomes. The aim of the present article is to assess the prognosis of myopericarditis/perimyocarditis in a multicenter, prospective cohort study.

METHODS AND RESULTS

A total of 486 patients (median age, 39 years; range, 18-83 years; 300 men) with acute pericarditis or a myopericardial inflammatory syndrome (myopericarditis/perimyocarditis; 85% idiopathic, 11% connective tissue disease or inflammatory bowel disease, 5% infective) were prospectively evaluated from January 2007 to December 2011. The diagnosis of acute pericarditis was based on the presence of 2 of 4 clinical criteria (chest pain, pericardial rubs, widespread ST-segment elevation or PR depression, and new or worsening pericardial effusion). Myopericardial inflammatory involvement was suspected with atypical ECG changes for pericarditis, arrhythmias, and cardiac troponin elevation or new or worsening ventricular dysfunction on echocardiography and confirmed by cardiac magnetic resonance. After a median follow-up of 36 months, normalization of left ventricular function was achieved in >90% of patients with myopericarditis/perimyocarditis. No deaths were recorded, as well as evolution to heart failure or symptomatic left ventricular dysfunction. Recurrences (mainly as recurrent pericarditis) were the most common complication during follow-up and were recorded more frequently in patients with acute pericarditis (32%) than in those with myopericarditis (11%) or perimyocarditis (12%; P<0.001). Troponin elevation was not associated with an increase in complications.

CONCLUSIONS

The outcome of myopericardial inflammatory syndromes is good. Unlike acute coronary syndromes, troponin elevation is not a negative prognostic marker in this setting.

Cardiac troponin T as a screening test for myocarditis in children

OBJECTIVE

The objective of this study was to define the test characteristics of cardiac troponin T (cTnT) in pediatric patients who presented with suspected myocarditis.

METHODS

We performed a retrospective cohort study of all patients at a large urban children's hospital 21 years or younger who had a cTnT test sent for evaluation for myocarditis over a 13-month period. Patients were excluded if they had any history of heart disease or cardiac arrest before presentation, or the cTnT was sent for reasons other than concern for myocarditis. Positive cases of myocarditis were defined by characteristic pathology findings, magnetic resonance imaging results, or diagnosis of the attending cardiologist at time of discharge.

RESULTS

Six hundred fifty-two patients had cTnT sent during the study period. Two hundred sixty were excluded because of prior history of heart disease, and 171 had the test sent for reasons other than concern for myocarditis. Of the 221 patients included in the study, 49 had an initial positive cTnT (≥0.01 ng/mL), whereas 172 had a negative test result. Eighteen cases of myocarditis were identified. All patients with myocarditis had an elevated cTnT at presentation. Using a cutoff value of 0.01 ng/mL or greater as a positive test, cTnT had a sensitivity of 100% (95% confidence interval [CI], 78%-100%), with a negative predictive value of 100% (CI, 97%-100%), and a specificity of 85% (CI, 79%-89%), with positive predictive value of 37% (CI, 24%-52%), in the diagnosis of myocarditis.

CONCLUSIONS

In children without preexisting heart disease, a cTnT level of less than 0.01 ng/mL can be used to exclude myocarditis.

[Myocarditis: magnetic resonance imaging diagnosis and follow-up]

Myocarditis, inflammation of the myocardium, is usually due to viral infection. Diagnostic confirmation in ordinary clinical practice is difficult because the findings on the clinical history, physical examination, electrocardiogram, and laboratory tests offer scant diagnostic accuracy, and the differential diagnosis is often done with acute myocardial infarction. Cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (CMR) has become the method of choice for the diagnosis of myocarditis. In this article, we describe the CMR findings at diagnosis and during the follow-up of patients with myocarditis, the differential diagnosis with other acute processes like myocardial infarction, and the prognostic factors studied with CMR.

Could heart rate play a role in pericardial inflammation?

PURPOSE AND MEDICAL HYPOTHESIS: Rest is usually recommended in acute pericarditis, as it could help to lower heart rate (HR) and contribute to limit "mechanical inflammation". Whether HR on admission could be correlated and perhaps participate to inflammation has not been reported.

METHODS

Between March 2007 and February 2010, we conducted a retrospective study on all patients admitted to our center for acute pericarditis. Diagnosis criteria included two of the following ones: typical chest pain, friction rub, pericardial effusion on cardiac echography, or typical electrocardiogram (ECG) findings. Primary endpoint was biology: CRP on admission, on days 1, 2, 3, and especially peak.

RESULTS

We included 73 patients. Median age was 38 years (interquartiles 28-51) and median hospitalization duration was 2.0 days (1.5-3.0). Median heart rate was 88.0 beats per minute (bpm) on admission (interquartiles 76.0-100.0) and 72.0 on discharge (65.0-80.0). Heart rate on admission was significantly correlated with CRP peak (p<0.001), independently of temperature on admission, hospitalization duration and age. Recurrences occurred within 1 month in 32% of patients. Heart rate on hospital discharge was correlated with recurrence, independently of age.

CONCLUSION

In acute pericarditis, heart rate on admission is independently correlated with CRP levels and heart rate on discharge seems to be independently correlated to recurrence. This could suggest a link between heart rate and pericardial inflammation.

Recent Toxoplasmosis Infection With Acute Myopericarditis and Persistent Troponin Elevation in an Immunocompetent Patient

Although often considered as "begnin", acute infections in young healthy adults can lead to heart inflammation, including acute myocarditis. We report a rare case of myopericarditis in a young immunocompetent adult, in the context of recent toxoplasmosis infection. Clinical presentation was common acute pericarditis, but with risk biomarkers: high troponin I levels and multiple inflammation-compatible images on MR-scan. Diagnosis of myopericarditis was established. In spite of spontaneous favourable clinical evolution, troponin remained elevated. MR-scan is shown; acute myocarditis in the context of an acute toxoplasmosis infection is discussed.

Pericarditis: pathophysiology, diagnosis, and management

Pericarditis, the most common disease of the pericardium, may be isolated or a manifestation of a systemic disease. The etiology of pericarditis is varied and includes infectious (especially viral and tuberculosis) and noninfectious causes (autoimmune and autoinflammatory diseases, pericardial injury syndromes, and cancer [especially lung cancer, breast cancer, and lymphomas]). Most cases remain idiopathic with a conventional diagnostic evaluation. A targeted etiologic search should be directed to the most common cause on the basis of the patient's clinical background, epidemiologic issues, specific presentations, and high-risk features associated with specific etiologies or complications (fever higher than 38°C, subacute onset, large pericardial effusion, cardiac tamponade, lack of response to NSAIDs). The management of pericardial diseases is largely empiric because of the relative lack of randomized trials. NSAIDs are the mainstay of empiric anti-inflammatory therapy, with the possible addition of colchicine to prevent recurrences.

Diagnostic yield of extensive infectious panel testing in acute pericarditis

OBJECTIVE

In an attempt to reconsider our local strategy, we evaluated patients with viral/idiopathic pericarditis in order to assess the diagnostic yield of our standard infectious panel, the characteristics of myocardial involvement, the utility of investigating myocardial involvement and the incidence of coronary evaluation tests.

METHODS

Seventy-six consecutive cases of idiopathic/viral acute pericarditis treated between March 2005 and March 2008 were retrospectively enrolled. Telephonic questionnaires were answered by all.

RESULTS

Myopericarditis was recorded in 45/71 (63.4%) consecutive patients. Sore throat on presentation (38 vs. 12%; p = 0.027) was the only symptom independently associated with myopericarditis. The following clinical features were significantly correlated with pericarditis rather than myopericarditis: age (42 ± 16 vs. 32 ± 12; p = 0.008), C-reactive protein (131 ± 75 vs. 78 ± 58; p = 0.009) and lower CPK and troponin levels (mean 96 vs. mean 489; p < 0.001 and mean 0 vs. mean 10; p < 0.001, respectively). The infectious panel revealed 6 positive results. After an average 3 years' fol- low-up, recurrence was documented in 5 patients (7%). No patient initially regarded idiopathic developed systemic disease during follow-up.

CONCLUSIONS

Among patients presenting with presumed idiopathic/viral pericarditis, myopericarditis is relatively common and has a benign evolution. Extensive serological investigation with a broad infectious panel proved to be diagnostically and therapeutically futile in our area.

Current and emerging strategies for the treatment of acute pericarditis: a systematic review

Pericarditis is a common disorder that has multiple causes and presents in various primary-care and secondary-care settings. It is diagnosed in 0.1% of all hospital admissions and in 5% of emergency room visits for chest pain. Despite the advance of new diagnostic techniques, pericarditis is most commonly idiopathic, and radiation therapy, cardiac surgery, and percutaneous procedures have become important causes. Pericarditis is frequently benign and self-limiting. Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory agents remain the first-line treatment for uncomplicated cases. Integrated use of new imaging methods facilitates accurate detection and management of complications such as pericardial effusion or constriction. In this article, we perform a systematic review on the etiology, clinical presentation, diagnostic evaluation, and management of acute pericarditis. We summarize current evidence on contemporary and emerging treatment strategies.