Objective: To assess the safety and efficacy of echocardiographically guided pericardiocentesis for patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and hemodynamically significant pericardial effusion.
Methods: We identified 16 patients with RA who underwent 18 echocardiographically guided pericardiocentesis procedures at our institution over a 20-year period. Clinical and laboratory characteristics of the patients, response to treatment, complications, and need for future pericardial surgery were abstracted from the echocardiography database.
Results: Ten patients were men and 6 were women (mean age, 62 yrs; range, 36-75 yrs). On average, patients were diagnosed with RA 11 years before pericardial disease developed. Twelve of 15 patients were seropositive for rheumatoid factor, 10 patients had radiographic evidence of erosions, and 7 patients had rheumatoid nodules. Cardiac tamponade was present in 11 of the 18 cases. Mean volume drained on the first pericardiocentesis was 504 +/- 264 ml (range 120-1000 ml). The fluid was an exudate with a mean protein concentration of 5 g/dl (range 3.3-51.1 g/dl). All cultures and cytologic findings were negative for bacteria and neoplastic cells. No serious complications resulted from echocardiographically guided pericardiocentesis. For 11 patients, a catheter was placed for intermittent drainage over an average of 3 days. Seven patients ultimately required a more definitive surgical procedure.
Conclusion: Echocardiographically guided pericardiocentesis is a safe and effective treatment for this uncommon but serious complication of RA.