Predictors of switching from nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs to corticosteroids in patients with acute pericarditis and impact on clinical outcome

Predictors of switching from nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs to corticosteroids in patients with acute pericarditis and impact on clinical outcome

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Background: Aspirin and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (A/NSAIDs) are the mainstay treatments for acute pericarditis.We sought to identify factors predicting failure of A/NSAIDs and switch to corticosteroid treatment (STCT) as well as the impact of STCT on pericarditis recurrence.Methods: We enrolled 148 patients with acute pericarditis receiving A/NSAIDs (n=110) or corticosteroids (n=38) as first-line treatment according to clinical indications.In case of poor response to A/NSAIDs (n=37), STCT was performed and factors contributing to such failure were explored.All patients were followed-up prospectively for 18 months for pericarditis recurrence.

Results: In multivariate analysis, female sex (odds ratio [OR] =3.57, 95% confidence interval canine spectra kc 3 intranasal single dose [CI]: 1.00-12.5), age (per decade, OR=0.75, 95% CI: 0.

57-0.99), PR-segment depression (OR=4.43, 95% CI: click here 1.02-19.34), and a secondary cause of pericarditis (OR=13.

52, 95% CI: 1.51-117.8) were independent predictors of poor response to A/NSAIDs and STCT.In cox regression analysis, the risk of recurrence was higher in patients requiring STCT (hazards ratio [HR] =3.22, 95% CI: 1.

70-6.13) and in those initially treated with corticosteroids (H=2.06, 95% CI: 1.01-4.21) than in patients receiving A/NSAIDs only.

Conclusions: Treatment failure with A/NSAIDs in acute pericarditis can be anticipated by certain patient characteristics.STCT identifies patients who are at the highest risk for recurrences, a risk that is approximately threefold higher than that of A/NSAIDs and 1.5-fold higher than that of corticosteroids as first-line treatment.Keywords: Acute pericarditis, Prognosis, Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, Corticosteroids, Treatment failure.