Journal Club Summary pericarditis

Methodology: 2/5    
Usefulness: 3/5
Lotrionte M, Biondi-Zoccai G, Imazio M, Castagno D, Moretti C, Abbate A, Agostoni P, Brucato AL, Di Pasquale P, Raatikka M, Sangiorgi G, Laudito A, Sheiban I, Gaita F.
Am Heart J. 2010 Oct;160(4):662-70. Review
 
This study was a systematic review of current pharmacologic treatments of acute pericarditis or its recurrence and it found that there were lower rates of treatment failure and recurrences with the use of colchicine in addition to NSAIDS but that the use of steroids was associated higher rates of recurrences.
The main weakness of this systematic review was that it combined results from RCTs and retrospective chart reviews with large clinical heterogeneity and therefore it was difficult to draw strong conclusions from its results to apply clinically.
 
By Dr. Anita Lai

Author