Electro-Cardiographic Changes in Patients with Pericardial Disease

Abstract

A total number of 50 patients having pericardial disease were included in this study. Out of these 50 patients, 27 (54%) had simple pericardial effusion, 11(22%) had cardiac tamponade, 9(18%) had constrictive pericarditis and 3(6%) had effusion with pericardial thickening. Aetiologically 33(66%) patients turned out to be suffering from tuberculous pericarditis. Out of the rest 17(34%) patients, 8 (16%) had pyogenic pericarditis, 3(6%) DressIer’s syndrome and 3 (6%) uraemic pericarditis, whereas 1(2%) was attributed each to SLE, neoplasm and rheumatic heart disease. No ECG change could be considered diagnostic of any type of pericardial syndrome. However, QRS alternans, ST-T changes and low voltage were the main patterns observed, with QRS alternans characteristically being present in cardiac tamponade and ST-T changes more frequently in simple pericardial effusion and chronic constrictive pericarditis. Normal ECG was present in 50% (15) and 11.1%(1) of the patients in pericardial effusion and constrictive pericarditis respectively. In conclusion, ECG alone is not recommended for diagnosis of pericard.al disease.