Pericardial disease in rheumatoid arthritis.

Six patients with rheumatoid constrictive pericarditis, five seen in a two and one half year period, are described. All patients were male, all had rheumatoid factor, and all had active arthritis. Diagnosis was suspected from careful physical examination and confirmed in five patients by cardiac catheterization. Pericardiectomy was successful in all five patients on whom it was performed. Rheumatoid constrictive pericarditis should be suspected in any patient with rheumatoid arthritis and unexplained signs of right heart failure.