Acute Effusive Constrictive Pericarditis in Influenza A
N. Reichman, N. Kaufman, E. Flatau
Dept. of Medicine B, Central Emek Hospital, Afula and Technion Faculty of Medicine, Haifa
Constrictive pericarditis may complicate the course of several viral infections, mainly Coxsackie virus group B, as well as in rheumatoid disease, radiation and neoplasm. Perimyocardial involvement during influenzal infections is usually mild and does not progress to constriction or tamponade. A single case of cardiac tamponade caused by influenza A was reported in 1986. We report a case of acute effusive-constrictive pericarditis due to influenza A infection. Corticosteroids resulted in some benefit, but did not relieve constriction, which required extensive pericardiectomy.