Risk Factors and Outcome of Uremic Pericarditis in Patients with Chronic Kidney Failure at Donka University Hospital

Introduction: Uremic pericarditis is a late complication of chronic kidney disease (CKD), often latently detected by echocardiography or clinically revealed by chest pain and a pericardial rub. The objective of our study was to describe the risk factors and outcome of uremic pericarditis in patients with chronic kidney failure at the Donka University Hospital. Methods: This was a cross-sectional, descriptive and analytical study conducted over a 7-month period from August 10 to March 10, 2022. All patients with a GFR ≤ 60 ml/min were included. The parameters studied were: epidemiological, clinical, and ultrasound. The Chi-square test was used for statistical analysis. Results: In 182 chronic uremic patients, uremic pericarditis was 12.63%. Pericardial friction rub was present to varying degrees in 91.30% of cases; the average clearance was 4.39. Pericarditis was observed on ultrasound in 82.60% of cases. The risk factors identified were: young age and terminal stage. All of our patients received extrarenal replacement therapy (ERP) and NSAIDs. Intensified EER resulted in complete resolution of pericarditis in 56.5%; surgical drainage in 4.4%, and 39.1% died. Conclusion: The prevalence of uremic pericarditis is relatively high. Early diagnosis and management could improve life expectancy.