Does tuberculous pericardial disease severity have distinct immunological features?

Objective: The incidence of tuberculous pericarditis in Africa is rising which is believed to be a direct result of the HIV epidemic. Approximately 50% of patients presenting with tuberculous pericardial effusion in the Western Cape (South Africa) are co-infected with HIV. However pathophysiology of tuberculous pericarditis is still incompletely understood. In this study we sought to find immunological substrates of disease severity by relating clinical data with cytokine levels in the blood and pericardial fluid of patients with tuberculous pericarditis. Methods: A prospective recruitment of 44 patients present…