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Jebmh.com Original Article A STUDY OF AETIOLOGY, CLINICAL FEATURES, ECG, ECHOCARDIOGRAPHIC FEATURES OF CARDIAC TAMPONADE Y. V. Subba Reddy1, Adikesava Naidu Otikunta2, Vijayalakshmi Nuthakki3, Ravi Srinivas4 1Professor and HOD, Department of Cardiology, Osmania General Hospital and Osmania Medical College, Hyderabad. 2Associate Professor, Department of Cardiology, Osmania General Hospital and Osmania Medical College, Hyderabad. 3Senior Resident, Department of Cardiology, Osmania General Hospital and Osmania Medical College, Hyderabad. 4Assistant Professor, Department of Cardiology, Osmania General Hospital and Osmania Medical College, Hyderabad. ABSTRACT BACKGROUND Cardiac tamponade is a life-threatening, slow or rapid compression of the heart due to the pericardial accumulation of fluid, pus, blood, because of effusion, trauma or rupture of the heart. It was an observational study and included 40 patients with cardiac tamponade. We looked for incidence of Beck’s triad and pulsus paradoxus, electrocardiographic presence of electrical alternans, echocardiographic evidence of cardiac tamponade and aetiology of cardiac tamponade. MATERIALS AND METHODS This was a single-centre observational study that included 40 patients diagnosed with cardiac tamponade between January 2014 and January 2015. All patients were assessed concerning the clinical features, aetiology, electrocardiographic details and echocardiographic findings and quantification. RESULTS Total 25 patients were females; 34 (85.0%) patients presented with pulsus paradoxus. Malignancy (42.5%) was the most common aetiology for cardiac tamponade. Paradoxical hypertension was noted among five patients. Cardiac tamponade due to hypothyroidism was present in 7 patients. 39 patients presented with electrical alternans on ECG. Most of the patients had large pericardial effusion (50.0%). All patients were treated with pericardiocentesis and there was no in-hospital complication or mortality. CONCLUSION It can be concluded that malignancy is increasing as an aetiology for cardiac tamponade (42.5%) followed by tuberculosis. Hypothyroidism as an aetiology for cardiac tamponade is not that rare (17.5%). Beck’s triad is not seen in all cases. JVP is raised in all patients. Hypertension at the time of presentation doesn’t rule out cardiac tamponade. Both ECG and echocardiography can be efficiently used in the diagnosis of cardiac tamponade. Pericardiocentesis is a noteworthy method for treatment of cardiac tamponade. KEYWORDS Cardiac Tamponade, Echocardiography, Electrocardiography, Malignancy, Pericardiocentesis. HOW TO CITE THIS ARTICLE: Reddy YVS, Otikunta AN, Nuthakki V, et al. A study of aetiology, clinical features, ECG, echocardiographic features of cardiac tamponade. J. Evid. Based Med. Healthc. 2017; 4(4), 205-208. DOI: 10.18410/jebmh/2017/39 BACKGROUND variants include low pressure and regional cardiac Cardiac tamponade is progressive or rapid compression of tamponade. the heart chambers due to the pericardial accumulation of Clinically, cardiac tamponade can be described as fluid, pus, blood, clots or gas, because of effusion, trauma moderate or large pericardial effusion that leads to elevated or rupture of the heart, which consecutively impairs the systemic venous pressure, pulsus paradoxus, dyspnoea and diastolic filling of the ventricles.1,2 Maybe acute or subacute tachycardia and relief of venous hypertension and tachycardia by pericardial fluid drainage.2 The incidence of cardiac tamponade has been poorly documented, but is Financial or Other, Competing Interest: None. allied with significant mortality rates.3 Presence of even Submission 11-12-2016, Peer Review 20-12-2016, Acceptance 10-01-2017, Published 12-01-2017. small pericardial effusion has been associated with increased Corresponding Author: one year mortality from 11 to 26%.4 Dr. Adikesava Naidu Otikunta, The heart chambers become gradually smaller and Associate Professor, Department of Cardiology, Osmania General Hospital and Osmania Medical College, myocardial diastolic compliance gets lowered, cardiac inflow Hyderabad-500012, Telangana, India. becomes limited, eventually leading to similar mean diastolic E-mail: [email protected] pericardial and chamber pressures.5 The physiologic DOI: 10.18410/jebmh/2017/39 consequences of fluid in the pericardial space depend both on the volume and rate of fluid accumulation. A slowly J. Evid. Based Med. Healthc., pISSN- 2349-2562, eISSN- 2349-2570/ Vol. 4/Issue 4/Jan. 12, 2017 Page 205 Jebmh.com Original Article expanding pericardial effusion can become quite large included in this study have been detailed in Table 2. (>1000 mL) with little increase in pericardial pressure, Malignancy (42.5%) was the most common aetiology for whereas rapid accumulation of even a small volume of fluid cardiac tamponade followed by tuberculosis (32.5%). 38 (50 to 100 mL) can lead to a marked increase in pericardial patients had exudate type of effusion and 2 had transudate pressure. type of effusion. 39 patients presented with electrical There have been various causes behind the occurrence alternans on ECG. Most of the patients had large pericardial of cardiac tamponade. The most common causes are- effusion (50.0%) followed by massive effusion (37.5%) infections, inflammatory and autoimmune disorders, (Table 3). Figure 1 shows 2D echocardiogram of right atrial malignancies, trauma and metabolic disturbances.3,6 During collapse. A 2D echocardiogram apical 4 chamber view diagnosis, the common features of cardiac tamponade are showing pericardial effusion is demonstrated in Figure 2. tachycardia, tachypnoea, elevated venous pressure and Figure 3 depicts echocardiogram-Doppler flow showing cardiomegaly on chest x-ray.5,7 Echocardiographic diagnosis exaggeration of respiratory variation of mitral flow. All the has been the central procedure to quantify pericardial patients were treated with pericardiocentesis and there was effusion to evaluate its tolerance and to guide the no incidence of in-hospital complication or mortality. treatment.3 Electrocardiogram abnormality related with cardiac tamponade involves electrical alternation 22, which Characteristics N=40 Patients may affect any or all (23) electrocardiographic waves or only Female, n (%) 25 (62.5%) the QRS.1 The patients with cardiac tamponade have been Clinical Presentation, n (%) managed with volume resuscitation, catecholamines, Pulsus paradoxus 34 (85.0%) pericardiocentesis and surgical pericardiotomy.3 The Beck’s triad objective of this study was to report the aetiology, clinical Raised jugular vein 40 (100%) features, electrocardiographic and echocardiographic Hypotension 18 (45.0%) findings in patients with cardiac tamponade. Muffled heart sounds 21 (52.5%) Table 1. Baseline Characteristics MATERIALS AND METHODS Male, Female, This was a single-centre observational study that included Aetiology Total, n (%) 40 patients diagnosed with cardiac tamponade between n n January 2014 and January 2015. All patients were assessed Tuberculosis 13 (32.5%) 8 5 concerning the clinical features at presentation, i.e., Beck’s Bacterial infection 1 (2.5%) 1 0 Malignancy 17 (42.5%) 5 12 triad and pulsus paradoxus; aetiology relating to the clinical Carcinoma lung 6 (15.0%) 3 3 presentation; electrocardiographic alterations; Carcinoma breast 3 (7.5%) 0 3 echocardiographic findings and quantification. All patients Carcinoma cervix 1 (2.5%) 0 1 were treated and in-hospital outcomes were evaluated. Lymphoma 2 (5.0%) 1 1 The Beck’s triad constituted hypotension, raised jugular Carcinomatous venous pressure and a quiet heart.8 Pulsus paradoxus is 1 (2.5%) 0 1 lymphangiomatosis characterised by fall of systolic blood pressure of >10 mmHg Carcinoma during the inspiratory phase.9 The size of the pericardial 2 (5.0%) 0 2 oesophagus effusion by echocardiography was graded as moderate (1 to Mesothelioma of 1 (2.5%) 1 0 2 cm), large (2 to 3 cm) or massive (>3 cm) depending on omentum the amount of fluid between the visceral and parietal Thymoma 1 (2.5%) 0 1 pericardium. Echocardiographic signs of tamponade Hypothyroidism 7 (17.5%) 0 7 included right atrial abnormality or right ventricular diastolic Friedreich’s ataxia 1 (2.5%) 1 0 collapse, exaggerated respiratory variation in mitral and Connective tissue 1 (2.5%) 0 1 tricuspid inflow. Electrocardiographic signs included disease presence of electrical alternans. Table 2. Aetiology of Cardiac Tamponade Statistical analysis was performed using Microsoft Excel 2010. Continuous variables were expressed as counts and Type of Effusion, n (%) percentage. Exudate 38 (95.0%) Transudate 2 (5.0%) RESULTS Electrical Alternans on ECG, n (%) Of 40 patients, 25 patients were females. 34 (85.0%) Present 39 (97.5%) patients presented with pulsus paradoxus, jugular vein Absent 1 (2.5%) pressure was raised in all patients, 18 (45.0%) were Pericardial Effusion Quantity, n (%) hypotensive and 21 had muffled heart sounds (Table 1). Massive (>3 cm from posterior 15 (37.5%) Hypertension at time of presentation with cardiac wall) tamponade was present in 5 patients (4 of them were known Large (2-3 cm) 20 (50.0%) hypertensives), highest recorded reading was 210/100 mm Moderate (1-2 cm) 5 (12.5%) of Hg. Various aetiologies of cardiac tamponade in patients Table 3. Details of Diagnosis J. Evid. Based Med. Healthc., pISSN- 2349-2562, eISSN- 2349-2570/ Vol. 4/Issue 4/Jan. 12, 2017 Page 206 Jebmh.com Original Article patients in the study most patients did not have muffled heart sounds and blood pressure was often well maintained.10