Purulent pericarditis, a localized infection within the pericardial space, has become a rare entity in the modern antibiotic era. Although historically a disease of children and young adults, this is no longer the case: the median age at the time of diagnosis has increased by nearly 30 years over the past 6 decades. Despite advances in diagnostic and treatment modalities, purulent pericarditis remains a life-threatening illness. Unfortunately, the diagnosis is made postmortem in more than half the cases. Thus, a high index of clinical suspicion is crucial. We present 2 cases of purulent pericarditis, and provide an updated review of other case series published over the past 60 years.

BackgroundParticipation in cardiac rehabilitation (CR) after acute myocardial infarction has been proven to significantly reduce morbidity and mortality. Historically, participation rates have been low, and although recent efforts have increased referral rates, current data on CR participation are limited.Methods and ResultsUtilizing data from the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System conducted by Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, we performed a population‐based, cross‐sectional analysis of CR post‐acute myocardial infarction. Unadjusted participation from 2005 to 2015 was evaluated by univariable logistic regression. Multivariable logistic regression was performed with patient characteristic variables to determine adjusted trends and associations with participation in CR in more recent years from 2011 to 2015. Among the 32 792 survey respondents between 2005 and 2015, participation ranged from 35% in 2005 to 39% in 2009 (P=0.005) and from 38% in 2011 to 32% in 2015 (P=0.066). Between 2011 and 2015, participants were less likely to be female (odds ratio [OR] 0.763, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.646‐0.903), black (OR 0.700, 95% CI 0.526‐0.931), uninsured (OR 0.528, 95% CI 0.372‐0.751), less educated (OR 0.471, 95% CI 0.367‐0.605), current smokers (OR 0.758, 95% CI 0.576‐0.999), and were more likely to be retired or self‐employed (OR 1.393, 95% CI 1.124‐1.726).ConclusionsOnly one third of patients participate in CR following acute myocardial infarction despite the known health benefits. Participants are less likely to be female, black, and uneducated. Future studies should focus on methods to maximize the proportion of CR referrals converted into CR participation.

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Background: Temporary mechanical circulatory support (MCS) devices provide hemodynamic assistance for shock refractory to pharmacological treatment. Most registries have focused on single devices or specific etiologies of shock, limiting data regarding overall practice patterns with temporary MCS in cardiac intensive care units. Methods: The CCCTN (Critical Care Cardiology Trials Network) is a multicenter network of tertiary CICUs in North America. Between September 2017 and September 2018, each center (n=16) contributed a 2-month snapshot of consecutive medical CICU admissions. Results: Of the 270 admissions using temporary MCS, 33% had acute myocardial infarction-related cardiogenic shock (CS), 31% had CS not related to acute myocardial infarction, 11% had mixed shock, and 22% had an indication other than shock. Among all 585 admissions with CS or mixed shock, 34% used temporary MCS during the CICU stay with substantial variation between centers (range: 17%–50%). The most common temporary MCS devices were intraaortic balloon pumps (72%), Impella (17%), and veno-arterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (11%), although intraaortic balloon pump use also varied between centers (range: 40%–100%). Patients managed with intraaortic balloon pump versus other forms of MCS (advanced MCS) had lower Sequential Organ Failure Assessment scores and less severe metabolic derangements. Illness severity was similar at high- versus low-MCS utilizing centers and at centers with more advanced MCS use. Conclusions: There is wide variation in the use of temporary MCS among patients with shock in tertiary CICUs. While hospital-level variation in temporary MCS device selection is not explained by differences in illness severity, patient-level variation appears to be related, at least in part, to illness severity.

Background Despite improvements in ST elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) care, total ischemic time remains long in patients who present late. Our goal was to identify predictors of very late presentation (≥12 h) of STEMI and determine long-term mortality. Methods We retrospectively examined consecutive patients admitted with STEMI to our institution using the ACTION Registry™. Time of symptom onset to first medical contact (FMC) was calculated and categorized as <12 h or ≥12 h. Predictors of very late presentation were determined. Results Compared to patients who presented <12 h (n = 365), those who presented ≥12 h (n = 49) after symptom onset were more likely women, diabetics, and those with prior coronary revascularization. In addition, patients who presented ≥12 h had worse ventricular function, were less likely to report chest pain, and were less likely to be transported by ambulance and to undergo coronary angiography. Late presenters had higher rates of heart failure, longer hospitalizations, and were less likely to be discharged home. Diabetes, female sex, and absence of chest pain were strong predictors of late presentation. Long-term survival was significantly lower in late presenters (73% vs. 93%, p = 0.007). Conclusions Female sex, diabetes, and absence of chest pain are strong predictors of presentation delay, and long-term mortality is significantly increased in those presenting very late.

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