Hospitalizations With Pericarditis and Pericardial Effusions in People With Kidney Failure Receiving…

Cohort studyAmerican journal of kidney diseases : the official journal of the National Kidney Foundation· Jul 2026

Hospitalizations With Pericarditis and Pericardial Effusions in People With Kidney Failure Receiving Dialysis in the United States (2016-2021).

Carl P Walther, Mark J Sarnak, Waleed T Kayani, Wolfgang C Winkelmayer

NephrologyCohort studyClinical practiceQ1IF 5.4

Over one in ten pericarditis hospitalizations in dialysis patients involved tamponade or shock.

Hospitalizations With Pericarditis and Pericardial Effusions in People With Kidney Failure Receiving Dialysis in the United States (2016-2021).

Carl P Walther … Wolfgang C Winkelmayer

American journal of kidney diseases · Jul 2026

Background

Pericarditis and pericardial effusions may complicate the clinical course of people with kidney failure receiving dialysis.

Purpose

This study characterized hospitalizations among a nationally representative set of US patients receiving maintenance dialysis who experienced pericarditis or pericardial effusion.

Methods

Adults with dialysis-dependent kidney failure, represented in the National Inpatient Sample (National Inpatient Sample) (2016-21), a database of ∼20% of non-federal acute care hospitalizations in the US, with pericarditis or pericardial effusions identified using administrative codes.

n = 92,675 non-federal acute care

11.1%

Results

11.1%

hospitalizations for heart inflammation in dialysis patients that included severe heart issues

n = 92,675 non-federal acute care

More results

18,535 hospitalizations were identified in the National Inpatient Sample sample, representing a total of 92,675 (95% CI, 90,674-94,676) non-federal acute care hospital stays.

Mean age was 57 years and 49% were female.

More results

The rate of hospitalization increased from 2.3 (95% CI, 2.2-2.4) per 100 person-years in 2016 to 3.5 (95% CI, 3.4-3.7) in 2021 (P for trend=0.001).

Hospital costs increased from $347 million (95% CI, $316-378 million) in 2016 to $591 million (95% CI, $545-637 million) in 2021 (P=0.001).

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Conclusion · 1 of 2

Hospitalization for pericarditis or pericardial effusion among patients on dialysis have increased in recent years, with a corresponding increase in pericardial drainage procedures.

Conclusion · 2 of 2

More than 1 in 10 hospitalizations were complicated by tamponade or shock. Identifying actionable drivers of the increase in this morbidity over time warrants further investigation.

Hospitalizations With Pericarditis and Pericardial Effusions in People With Kidney Failure Receiving Dialysis in the United States (2016-2021).

Hospitalizations With Pericarditis and Pericardial Effusions in People With Kidney Failure Receiving Dialysis in the United States (2016-2021).

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