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Pericardial effusion and COVID-19

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  18 February 2021

Rujittika Mungmunpuntipantip*
Affiliation:
Private Academic Consultant, Bangkok, Thailand
Viroj Wiwanitkit
Affiliation:
Honorary Professor, Dr DY Patil University, Pune, India
*
Author for correspondence: Dr R. Mungmunpuntipantip, Private Academic Consultant, Bangkok, Thailand. E-mail: rujittika@gmail.com
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Abstract

Type
Letter to the Editor
Copyright
© The Author(s), 2021. Published by Cambridge University Press

Dear Editor,

We would like to share our thoughts on the publication “A case of a very large haemorrhagic pericardial effusion in an adolescent patient with COVID-19 infection. Reference Gokalp, Çilsal, Yukcu, Yolcu, Akkoc and Guzeltas1 ” Gokalp et al noted that “a large pericardial effusion may complicate COVID-19 in children and should be considered in acute decompensation. Reference Gokalp, Çilsal, Yukcu, Yolcu, Akkoc and Guzeltas1 ” Cardiac complications are possible in COVID-19. Pericardial effusion has been observed in patients with COVID-19, but it is typically not a hemorrhagic effusion. Reference Sauer, Dagrenat, Couppie, Jochum and Leddet2 Further in pericardial effusion, the hemorrhagic effusion in the present case might or might not be associated with COVID-19. Bleeding is a possible problem in COVID–19. Reference Joob and Wiwanitkit3 A hemopericardium could occur if there is severe coagulopathy, but the patient would be expected to have other bleeding problems. Whether the patient has an underlying hemostatic disorder requires a complete laboratory work-up. Finally, the pericardial effusion might be a coincidence. In a developing Asian country, there are many underlying conditions such as tuberculosis that can cause pericardial effusion and concurrent COVID–19 and tuberculosis infections have been reported in the literature. Reference Yasri and Wiwanitkit4

Acknowledgement

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References

Gokalp, S, Çilsal, E, Yukcu, B, Yolcu, C, Akkoc, G, Guzeltas, A. A case of a very large haemorrhagic pericardial effusion in an adolescent patient with COVID-19 infection. Cardiol Young 2021; 1: 13.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Sauer, F, Dagrenat, C, Couppie, P, Jochum, G, Leddet, P. Pericardial effusion in patients with COVID-19: case series. Eur Heart J Case Rep 2020; 4: 17.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Joob, B, Wiwanitkit, V. Hemorrhagic problem among the patients with COVID-19: clinical summary of 41 Thai infected patients. Clin Appl Thromb Hemost 2020; 26: 1076029620918308.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Yasri, S, Wiwanitkit, V. Tuberculosis and novel Wuhan coronavirus infection: pathological interrelationship. Indian J Tuberc 2020; 67: 264.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed