Pericarditis—A Five Year Study In The African

Abstract

A retrospective study of cases of pericarditis presenting to Harare African Hospital during the five year period 1967-1971 was carried out. This study excludes cases of pericarditis due to rheumatic heart disease and uraemia. During the five year period there were 85 patients in whom a diagnosis of pericarditis or pericardial effusion was made (Table 1). Ten of these would appear on subsequent investigation or post-mortem findings to have been inaccurately diagnosed, and in 18 cases the diagnosis Of pericarditis was established solely on clinical examination with no 'confirmatory investigations. These 28 cases have been excluded from this study. The report deals with the remaining 57 cases of pericarditis or pericardial effusion in whom the clinical diagnosis was confirmed by radiology, aspiration, surgery or 'postmortem findings.