Subacute Cardiac Tamponade in a COVID-19 Patient Despite Negative Testing

COVID-19 infection has been documented to cause a wide range of symptoms including cardiac complications. We present a case of subacute cardiac tamponade in a patient infected with COVID-19 in the absence of respiratory symptoms; we also review the current literature on this rare sequela. Our patient is a 67-year-old man who presented to the hospital due to intermittent chest pain for three weeks. COVID-19 polymerase chain reaction (PCR) testing was negative two times. He had an outpatient echocardiogram that showed a moderate pericardial effusion about a week prior to the hospital presentation. On admission, a repeat echocardiogram showed a large pericardial effusion with tamponade physiology. Pericardiocentesis did not reveal a clear etiology of the hemorrhagic effusion but four days later, the patient was found to be positive for COVID-19 infection without any clear respiratory illness. Given the absence of other etiology and negative workup, cardiac tamponade was attributed to pericardial inflammation from this virus and our patient improved with colchicine and steroids. We, therefore, advise providers to consider COVID-19 as a cause of hemorrhagic, cryptogenic cardiac tamponade despite negative COVID-19 testing. We also review 42 additional reported cases of cardiac tamponade in patients infected with COVID-19. COVID-19 can cause cardiac tamponade even in the absence of pulmonary disease. This case and literature review highlight tamponade as a rare complication of COVID-19 and should be considered in the differential of any acute deterioration in this patient population.

Automated summary

This article presents a case of cardiac tamponade in a patient infected with COVID-19 without respiratory symptoms and reviews the literature on this rare complication. The patient improved with treatment using colchicine and steroids. It is important for healthcare providers to consider COVID-19 as a potential cause of cardiac tamponade, even in the absence of pulmonary disease.