Pericarditi

Since the etiologies are multiple, it is not possible to prevent
pericardial effusion.
State of research in pericarditis field?
The remaining idiopathic pericarditis still represents a high
percentage and may be due to uncultivable agents or to
unknown immune mechanisms. Potential underlying genetic
disorders have been also reported. Electron microscopy is not
very developed yet because it is still expensive but it will be a
very interesting tool for the diagnosis of viral pericarditis. In
Africa, the impact of HIV infection on outcome in tuberculous
pericarditis is the crucial point and will have to be studied in
long-term works. Improving therapeutical management to
avoided recurrence is also a very important objective for the
next few years. The indications for intrapericardial
administration of drugs will probably increase.
Main publications from l’IFR on pericardial effusion
1.Levy PY, Raoult D. Coxiella burnetii pericarditis : a report of
15 cases and review. Clin Infect Dis. 1999;29:393-397.