Cochrane corner : colchicine in acute and recurrent pericarditis

© 2015 Sociedade Portuguesa de Cardiologia. Published by Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.The potential anti-inflammatory effect of colchicine has been explored in many conditions, including pericarditis. The Cochrane Collaboration Systematic Review included four randomized controlled trials enrolling 564 patients with acute pericarditis (two studies) or recurrent pericarditis (two studies), followed for a period of 20-24 months. Colchicine was associated with a significant reduction in short-term persistence of chest pain and in long-term risk of recurrence of pericarditis. No significant increase in overall adverse events was observed. Despite the available evidence, the use of colchicine in this context remains strictly off-label.O potencial anti-inflamatório da colchicina tem vindo a ser avaliado em várias patologias, incluindo a pericardite. A revisão sistemática da Cochrane incluiu quatro ensaios clínicos aleatorizados e controlados, com 564 doentes com pericardite aguda (dois estudos) e pericardite recorrente (dois estudos), seguidos por um período de 20-24 meses. A colchicina esteve associada a uma reduc¸ão significativa do risco de persistência de dor torácica (curto prazo) e do risco de recidiva de pericardite (longo prazo), sem aumento significativo dos eventos adversos totais. Apesar da evidência disponível, o uso de colchicina neste contexto mantém-se off-label.