Background: Whereas effusive-constrictive pericarditis (ECP) can rarely occur in coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), to date no cases of ECP related to severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV2) vaccine have been documented.
Case summary: A 59-year-old Caucasian man presented to our emergency department with ECP. Symptoms occurred shortly after the second dose of BNT162b2 (Comirnaty) vaccine. No other aetiological causes were identified. Guidelines-directed therapy for acute pericarditis was implemented, with clinical benefit.
Discussion: Systemic inflammatory response to COVID-19 can rarely trigger pericarditis. In our case, a strong temporal relationship between the second dose of BNT162b2 vaccine and symptoms occurrence was documented, indicating a possible rare adverse reaction to the vaccine, similarly to natural infection. Further research is needed to confirm a causal relationship.
Keywords: BNT162b2; COVID-19; Case report; Effusive–constrictive pericarditis; SARS-CoV2; Vaccine.
© The Author(s) 2022. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the European Society of Cardiology.