Effusive–constrictive pericarditis after the second dose of BNT162b2 vaccine (comirnaty): a case report

Background Whereas effusive-constrictive pericarditis can rarely occur in COVID-19, to date no cases of effusive-constrictive pericarditis related to SARS-CoV2 vaccine have been documented. Case summary A 59-year-old caucasian man presented to our emergency department with effusive-constrictive pericarditis. Symptoms occurred shortly after the second dose of BNT162b2 (Comirnaty) vaccine. No other etiological causes were identified. Guidelines directed therapy for acute pericarditis was implemented, with clinical benefit. Discussion Systemic inflammatory response to COVID-19 can rarely trigger pericarditis. In our case a strong temporal relation between the second dose of BNT162b2 vaccine and symptoms occurrence was documented, indicating a possible rare adverse reaction to the vaccine, similarly to natural infection. Further research is needed to confirm a causal relationship.

639 A case of acute transient constrictive pericarditis—an unusual presentation

Aims Transient constrictive pericarditis (TCP) is a rare manifestation which can occur in up to 15% of cases of acute pericarditis and most have resolution after 3 months of anti-inflammatory therapy. Methods and results We present the case of a young guy who showed up at our emergency department complaining of pericarditic chest pain and fever up to 39 °C degrees since the previous 4 days. After physical examination, electrocardiogram, blood tests, chest X-ray, and echocardiography acute pericarditis with severe pericardial effusion (more than 20 mm of thickness) were diagnosed and an empiric anti-inflammatory therapy with ibuprofen and colchicine was started. After 2 weeks of therapy, patient was not clinically improving with a worsened pericardial effusion and only a mild reduction of inflammatory markers. During an echocardiographic examination, features of constrictive physiology were discovered: respirophasic interventricular septal shift, increased respiratory variation of the mitral and tricuspidal inflow, plethoric inferior vena cava, and ‘annulus reversus’ and ‘annulus paradoxus’ on Tissue Doppler Imaging (TDI). Cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) was also performed to confirm the diagnosis of acute pericardial constriction: it revealed increased T2-weighted imaging signal and increased Delayed Gadolinium Enhanced (DGE) signal, respectively consistent with oedema and with neovascularization, both suggestive of acute pericardial inflammation. Therefore, oral low doses corticosteroid was started After 2 weeks course of ‘triple therapy’ the patient was clinically improved and the echocardiographic features of constrictive physiology were no longer present thus allowing his discharge and the continuation of therapy at home. Conclusions This case was remarkable because it showed that constrictive pericarditis may present in a reversible form with medical therapy, this meaning it is due to pericardial oedema, inflammation and fibrin deposition similar to acute pericarditis rather than the pericardial fibrosis and calcification more commonly seen in chronic pericardial constriction.