Early pericarditis after acute myocardial infarction: a clinical echocardiographic study.

Clinical and echocardiographic data were evaluated in 46 patients after acute myocardial infarction (AMI). M-mode echocardiogram was performed 24 and 72 h and 5 days after AMI. Early acute pericarditis (EAP) was clinically recognized in 19 (41%) patients. Pericardial effusion (PE) was detected in 29 (63%) patients. In 23 (50%) patients both anterior and posterior PE was observed, while in six (13%) patients PE was only posterior. An echocardiographic pattern consistent with localized fibrinous pericarditis was detected in 11 (24%) patients. Eighteen (95%) of 19 patients with EAP had PE, and only 11 (40%) of the patients without EAP had PE (p less than .001). We conclude that PE is observed frequently after AMI and that the echocardiographic study can help in the diagnosis of EAP after AMI.