Incidence and Factors Associated With Recurrent Pericarditis in Lupus

Importance: Pericarditis is the most common cardiac manifestation of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and is known to recur among patients. However, the prevalence of and risk factors associated with recurrent pericarditis in patients with SLE were unknown.

Objective: To investigate the frequency of and risk factors associated with the recurrence of pericarditis in patients with SLE.

Design, setting, and participants: This study was a retrospective analysis of a well-characterized, single-center diverse group patients with SLE treated at a tertiary medical center and enrolled between 1988 and 2023. Patients diagnosed with pericarditis among those enrolled in the Hopkins Lupus Cohort were included. Data were analyzed from April 2023 and May 2024.

Main outcomes and measures: Recurrence of pericarditis was assessed. The Safety of Estrogens in Systemic Lupus Erythematosus National Assessment revision of the SLE Disease Activity Index (SELENA-SLEDAI) was used to define pericarditis. Clinical information was examined for all follow-up encounters after the first episode of pericarditis. Episodes that occurred at least 6 weeks after the first recorded episode were defined as recurrent.