ABSTRACT
AIMS: Vaccination represents a cornerstone of prevention in the COVID-19 pandemic. Rare adverse events including acute pericarditis and myopericarditis have been reported. METHODS: All consecutive patients referred to our referral center for pericardial diseases following COVID-19 vaccination from 1 April 2021 to 15 April 2022 were included. Acute pericarditis and myopericarditis were diagnosed according to ESC guidelines. Patients with SARS-CoV-2 infection were excluded from the study. RESULTS: Twenty-four patients (79% men) aged 39.7â±â19.8âyears were referred to our center with pericarditis after receiving COVID-19 vaccination. Thirteen (54%) patients were diagnosed with myopericarditis. The mean time between vaccination and symptoms onset was 7.0â±â4.9âdays, and the most frequent symptom was pericarditic chest pain (83%). Respectively, 50 and 33% of patients presented after the second and the third dose of the vaccine. Almost all patients were treated with both nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and colchicine. Five patients (21%) experienced a recurrence of pericarditis. No patient died or developed constrictive pericarditis. Mean follow-up was 8.0â±â3.2âmonths. CONCLUSION: COVID-19 vaccine-related pericarditis typically manifest with mild clinical signs, in young male individuals, a few days after the second or third vaccine dose and are commonly characterized by a rapid complete recovery.