Ascitic Fluid Analysis Leading to the Diagnosis of Constrictive Pericarditis in 2 Patients
Although well documented, constrictive pericarditis is a rare entity and an uncommon cause of heart failure. A stiff and noncompliant pericardium creates the disease’s unique hemodynamics and leads to elevated venous pressures, hepatic sinusoidal congestion, and draining of protein-rich fluid into t...
| Main Authors: | , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
SAGE Publishing
2022-05-01
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| Series: | Journal of Investigative Medicine High Impact Case Reports |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1177/23247096221097530 |
| _version_ | 1818005711385264128 |
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| author | Sarah Barbina MD Umakanthan Kavin MD Michael M. Sutton DO Marc Heincelman MD, MPH Meghan K. Thomas MD, MS |
| author_facet | Sarah Barbina MD Umakanthan Kavin MD Michael M. Sutton DO Marc Heincelman MD, MPH Meghan K. Thomas MD, MS |
| author_sort | Sarah Barbina MD |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Although well documented, constrictive pericarditis is a rare entity and an uncommon cause of heart failure. A stiff and noncompliant pericardium creates the disease’s unique hemodynamics and leads to elevated venous pressures, hepatic sinusoidal congestion, and draining of protein-rich fluid into the peritoneal cavity presenting as ascites. The low incidence in addition to its varied and subtle clinical presentations can often lead to a delay in diagnosis. Here, we present 2 clinical cases of constrictive pericarditis in which ascitic fluid analysis was important—one patient who presented with new-onset ascites with concern for cirrhosis and another patient who presented with symptoms concerning for heart failure with ascites. Through their hospital course and workup, we highlight the importance of diagnostic sampling of ascitic fluid to prompt the consideration of constrictive pericarditis followed by utilizing advanced diagnostics, such as echocardiogram and cardiac catheterization to reach the correct diagnosis in an otherwise often overlooked pathology. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-14T04:48:55Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-028405856dab4fdfa378efca34f204d3 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2324-7096 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-14T04:48:55Z |
| publishDate | 2022-05-01 |
| publisher | SAGE Publishing |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Journal of Investigative Medicine High Impact Case Reports |
| spelling | doaj.art-028405856dab4fdfa378efca34f204d32022-12-22T02:11:21ZengSAGE PublishingJournal of Investigative Medicine High Impact Case Reports2324-70962022-05-011010.1177/23247096221097530Ascitic Fluid Analysis Leading to the Diagnosis of Constrictive Pericarditis in 2 PatientsSarah Barbina MD0Umakanthan Kavin MD1Michael M. Sutton DO2Marc Heincelman MD, MPH3Meghan K. Thomas MD, MS4Department of Medicine, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, USADepartment of Medicine, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, USADepartment of Medicine, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, USADepartment of Medicine, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, USADepartment of Medicine, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, USAAlthough well documented, constrictive pericarditis is a rare entity and an uncommon cause of heart failure. A stiff and noncompliant pericardium creates the disease’s unique hemodynamics and leads to elevated venous pressures, hepatic sinusoidal congestion, and draining of protein-rich fluid into the peritoneal cavity presenting as ascites. The low incidence in addition to its varied and subtle clinical presentations can often lead to a delay in diagnosis. Here, we present 2 clinical cases of constrictive pericarditis in which ascitic fluid analysis was important—one patient who presented with new-onset ascites with concern for cirrhosis and another patient who presented with symptoms concerning for heart failure with ascites. Through their hospital course and workup, we highlight the importance of diagnostic sampling of ascitic fluid to prompt the consideration of constrictive pericarditis followed by utilizing advanced diagnostics, such as echocardiogram and cardiac catheterization to reach the correct diagnosis in an otherwise often overlooked pathology.https://doi.org/10.1177/23247096221097530 |
| spellingShingle | Sarah Barbina MD Umakanthan Kavin MD Michael M. Sutton DO Marc Heincelman MD, MPH Meghan K. Thomas MD, MS Ascitic Fluid Analysis Leading to the Diagnosis of Constrictive Pericarditis in 2 Patients Journal of Investigative Medicine High Impact Case Reports |
| title | Ascitic Fluid Analysis Leading to the Diagnosis of Constrictive Pericarditis in 2 Patients |
| title_full | Ascitic Fluid Analysis Leading to the Diagnosis of Constrictive Pericarditis in 2 Patients |
| title_fullStr | Ascitic Fluid Analysis Leading to the Diagnosis of Constrictive Pericarditis in 2 Patients |
| title_full_unstemmed | Ascitic Fluid Analysis Leading to the Diagnosis of Constrictive Pericarditis in 2 Patients |
| title_short | Ascitic Fluid Analysis Leading to the Diagnosis of Constrictive Pericarditis in 2 Patients |
| title_sort | ascitic fluid analysis leading to the diagnosis of constrictive pericarditis in 2 patients |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1177/23247096221097530 |
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