ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE AND METHOD: We retrospectively analysed 56 consecutive patients with a confirmed diagnosis of chronic constrictive pericarditis over a period of 23 years. The objective was to analyse the evolution of the annual frequency of constrictive pericarditis, its aetiology and to define the prognostic factors for mortality. RESULTS: The annual frequency of constrictive pericarditis has not diminished over the 23 years of this study, remaining at 2.4 cases per year. Cases with a tuberculous origin have diminished progressively, being replaced by complications of cardiac surgery and mediastinal radiotherapy. Pericardectomy was performed in 41 patients and the average follow up was 9.5 +/- 8.6 years. By the end of the study, 34 patients had died (61.8%), 18 from a cardiovascular cause (38.3%). The independent predictive factors for overall mortality were a history of mediastinal radiotherapy, the age, and plasma sodium level. Only the presence of first degree atrio-ventricular block was an independent predictive factor for cardiovascular mortality. In the pericardectomy group, 24 patients died (60%). A history of mediastinal radiotherapy and the presence of pre-operative hyponatraemia were independent predictive factors for overall mortality. CONCLUSION: Constrictive pericarditis remains a serious pathology. Pericardectomy allows a clear functional improvement, but following pericardectomy more than 60% of patients will die within 10 years of the diagnosis being made.
