Is acute pericarditis associated with long-term persistenceof nasopharingeal swab positivity with Covid-19?

ABSTRACT

Background and Aim of the study The SARS-CoV2 associatedinterstitial pneumonia characterized by acute respiratory failureand other symptoms affecting different organs and systems.Among these also the cardiovascular system.Materials e Methods: More than 250 patients were hospitalizedin our Covid Unit to 15 March from 15 May 2020, divided betweenCovid pulmonology, Covid infectious diseases and Covid intensivecare unit.Results: Of the patients discharged, more than 200 from the various units, between the end of May and June 15, 10 patients werereadmitted to the covid unit for the re-positivity of the nasopharyngeal swab. Among them, 4 patients (40%) 3 males (54, 24and 42 years) and 1 female (50 years) had clinical, instrumentaland laboratory signs indicative of acute pericarditis, absent previously and at discharge. They were treated with anti- inflammatoryand colchicine therapy with clinical and instrumental improvementand re-discharged to subsequent negativity with clinical follow-upprogramming.Conclusions: It is suggestive that the long-term persistence ofpositivity to SARS-CoV2, perhaps because it is linked to a greaterpersistence over time of the inflammatory state linked to the viralinfection, triggers a local inflammatory reaction to the pericardialsheets, especially in subjects of a younger age.