Postcardiac Injury Syndrome

Synonyms

Dressler syndrome; Postcardiotomy syndrome; Postcommissurotomy syndrome; Post-myocardial infarction syndrome; Postpericardiotomy syndrome; Post-traumatic pericarditis

Definition

Postcardiac injury syndrome (PCIS) is a term used to describe late pericarditis or pleuropericarditis following a myocardial, pericardial, and/or pleural insult. Other terms describe the same condition based on the inciting event, such as Dressler syndrome or post-myocardial infarction syndrome with an acute myocardial infarction and postpericardiotomy syndrome with cardiac surgery.

PCIS frequently presents with chest discomfort, pericardial effusion, elevated inflammatory markers (i.e., CRP & ESR), pleural effusion, dyspnea, low-grade fever, and/or a pleural or pericardial friction rub. These features generally occur no later than 3 months after the inciting event with most patients being affected within the first month, especially 1 week. It may last from a few days to a few weeks, with complete...