Summary
Characteristics and risk factors for poor outcomes in patients with acute pericarditis in an Emergency Department: a retrospective analysis of a 5-year cohort
Ana María Martínez Molina1, Jorge Sorando Ortín1, José Cebrián Escudero2, Beatriz González Chesa1, Carmen del Arco Galán1
Affiliation of the authors
1Servicio de Urgencias, Hospital Universitario de La Princesa, Madrid, Spain. 2Servicio de Neurología, Hospital Rey Juan Carlos, Madrid, Spain.
DOI
Quote
Martínez Molina AM, Sorando Ortín J, Cebrián Escudero J, González Chesa B, del Arco Galán C. Characteristics and risk factors for poor outcomes in patients with acute pericarditis in an Emergency Department: a retrospective analysis of a 5-year cohort. Rev Esp Urg Emerg. 2026;5:247-53
Summary
BACKGROUND. Acute pericarditis accounts for up to 5 % of emergency department admissions for chest pain. Activation of inflammatory pathways constitutes a key mechanism in the pathophysiology of the disease, which has enabled the development of targeted therapies. Early intervention on these pathways may be crucial. Despite its frequency, acute pericarditis remains an understudied entity in emergency departments.
OBJECTIVE. To analyze poor prognostic variables in patients with pericarditis who develop complications, as well as to determine whether delayed treatment initiation is associated with a higher risk of such complications.
MATERIALS AND METHODS. A single-center, retrospective, observational, descriptive study of patients with acute pericarditis treated in the emergency department of a tertiary university hospital over a 5-year period was conducted. Sociodemographic data, clinical characteristics, occurrence of complications, and time elapsed from symptom onset to treatment initiation were analyzed.
Clinical characteristics and the association between time to treatment and occurrence of complications were evaluated, estimating the magnitude of this association using adjusted odds ratios.
RESULTS. A total of 105 patients were analyzed, with a mean age of 47.37 ± 19.86 years (SD ±). Of these, 65.7 % were men. Overall, 39 % developed complications, with recurrent pericarditis being the most frequent (18.6 %). Treatment initiation between 1 and 7 days after symptom onset was significantly associated with a higher risk of recurrent pericarditis (OR, 4.027; 95 % CI, 1.092-
14.85; P = .02), whereas treatment within the first 24 hours showed a protective trend.
CONCLUSIONS. Delayed treatment initiation is associated with a higher risk of developing complicated forms, suggesting the need for prospective studies evaluating this factor as an independent prognostic variable.