Table 2.
Demographic and clinical characteristics of the patients receiving double or triple combination treatment for recurrent pericarditis at baseline
| Characteristic | NSAID + colchicine (n=24) |
Colchicine + corticosteroid (n=13) |
Colchicine + corticosteroid + NSAID (n=18) |
| Age, years, mean (SD) | 44.6 (13.41) | 43.5 (16.4) | 42.3 (14.7) |
| Age, years, no. (%) | |||
| 12–17 | 1.0 (4.2) | 0 | 1.0 (5.6) |
| 18–64 | 22.0 (91.7) | 12.0 (92.3) | 17.0 (94.4) |
| 65–78 | 1.0 (4.2) | 1.0 (7.7) | 0 |
| Female sex, no. (%) | 19.0 (79.2) | 7.0 (53.8) | 11.0 (61.1) |
| Race*, no. (%) | |||
| White | 23.0 (95.8) | 12.0 (92.3) | 16.0 (88.9) |
| Black/African American | 1.0 (4.2) | 0 | 2.0 (11.1) |
| Other | 0 | 1.0 (7.7) | 0 |
| Aetiology, no. (%) | |||
| Idiopathic | 20.0 (83.3) | 9.0 (69.2) | 15.0 (83.3) |
| Postpericardiotomy syndrome | 3.0 (12.5) | 4.0 (30.8) | 3.0 (16.7) |
| Dressler’s syndrome† | 1.0 (4.2) | 0 | 0 |
| Duration of prior treatment with corticosteroids, weeks, mean (SD) | 0 | 12.0 (17.7) | 11.5 (25.4) |
| Total episodes, including index and qualifying, no., mean (SD) | 4.8 (1.8) | 4.2 (0.93) | 4.5 (0.99) |
| Duration of disease, years, mean (SD) | 3.6 (4.75) | 1.0 (0.4) | 1.4 (0.9) |
| Recurrent episodes per year, mean (SD) | 3.8 (5.1) | 5.5 (2.9) | 5.6 (5.9) |
| Pain rating (qualifying episode), Numerical Rating Scale Score‡, mean (SD) | 6.9 (1.9) | 5.1 (1.3) | 6.5 (1.7) |
| Standard C reactive protein (qualifying episode), mg/dL, mean (SD) | 5.2 (6.4) | 7.5 (7.3) | 7.9 (7.4) |
| Pericarditis manifestations (qualifying episode), no. (%) | |||
| Pericardial effusion§ no. (%) | 6.0 (25.0) | 7.0 (53.8) | 7.0 (38.9) |
| Pericardial rub, no. (%) | 3.0 (12.5) | 1.0 (7.7) | 5.0 (27.8) |
| ST elevation or PR depression, no. (%) | 3.0 (12.5) | 3.0 (23.1) | 4.0 (22.2) |
| Pericarditis treatment at baseline, n (%) | |||
| Non-opioid analgesics | 4.0 (16.7) | 0 | 0 |
| Opioid analgesics | 4.0 (16.7) | 0 | 0 |
| Aspirin | 2.0 (8.3) | 0 | 1.0 (5.6) |
| Other NSAIDs¶ | 22.0 (91.7) | 0 | 17.0 (94.4) |
| Colchicine | 24.0 (100) | 13.0 (100) | 18.0 (100) |
| Oral corticosteroids | 0 | 13.0 (100) | 18.0 (100) |
| Other | 0 | 1.0 (7.7) | 1 (5.6) |
*Race was reported by patient.
†The cause of the Dressler syndrome was catheter ablation for atrial fibrillation.
‡Scores on the Numerical Rating Scale for pain range from 0 to 10, with higher scores indicating greater pain severity.
§Pericardial effusion was defined as new or worsening pericardial effusion, independent of the imaging method.
¶Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs.