ESC 2015 Pericarditis Risk Factors Calculator

ESC 2015 Pericarditis Risk Factors: Explanation and Clinical Context The 2015 ESC guideline identifies several predictors associated with an increased risk of complications and poorer prognosis in patients presenting with acute pericarditis. Major risk features include: high fever (>38 °C), a subacute clinical course (insidious or prolonged symptom onset), evidence of a large pericardial effusion (diastolic echo-free space >20 mm), cardiac tamponade, and failure to respond to aspirin or NSAIDs within about 7 days. Minor risk features (used to guide triage and prompt consideration of admission and etiologic search) include pericarditis associated with myocarditis (myopericarditis), immunodepression, recent trauma, and use of oral anticoagulants.

Presence of any major risk factor warrants hospital admission and a thorough aetiological search; when only minor factors are present, clinician judgement and context guide admission versus outpatient care.