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After five recurrences of idiopathic pericarditis over a period of 8 months on steroidal anti-inflammatory therapy, a splenectomized patient aged 31 years benefited from treatment with colchicine. He was treated for one year without any recurrence. A relapse occurred 6, 7 and 17 months after having stopped the drug. This observation raises the question whether colchicine might be beneficial in recurrent benign pericarditis with or without corticodependence and have a prophylactic action against recurrences.

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The study of left ventricular performance by means of systolic time intervals, especially represented by the PEP/LVET ratio and indices drawn from the first derivative of the apex cardiogram, makes possible a good approach to the functional anomalies of patients suffering from hypokinetic cardiomyopathies or hyperkinetic conditions of obstructive or unobstructive hypertrophic cardiomyopathies and of patients with hyperthyroid conditions. In hypokinetic states, the sensitivity and the specificity of the PEP/LVET ratio proved to be good, as was the case for indices taken from the first derivative of the apex cardiogram. However, the sensitivity and the specificity of the cardiogram were much better in the detection and evaluation of hyperkinetic conditions, hypertrophic cardiopathies or hyperthyroiditis. By providing the elements required for analysis of isometric contraction through indices drawn from the first derivative of the apex cardiogram and from the ejection phase, through the PEP/LVET ratio, and by adding exploitation of the diastolic phase, in particular through the A/H ratio exploring diastolic compliance, mechanocardiograms allow an all-round, quasi-physiopathological approach to disorders of left ventricular function during cardiomyopathies.