Despite medical advances, mortality in infective endocarditis (IE) is still very high. Previous studies on prognosis in IE have observed conflicting results. The aim of this study was to identify predictors of in-hospital mortality in a large multicenter cohort of left-sided IE. An observational multicenter study was conducted from January 1984 to December 2006 in seven hospitals in Andalusia, Spain. Seven hundred and five left-side IE patients were included. The main outcome measure was in-hospital mortality. Several prognostic factors were analysed by univariate tests and then by multilogistic regression model. The overall mortality was 29.5% (25.5% from 1984 to 1995 and 31.9% from 1996 to 2006; Odds Ratio 1.25; 95% Confidence Interval: 0.97-1.60; p = 0.07). In univariate analysis, age, comorbidity, especially chronic liver disease, prosthetic valve, virulent microorganism such as Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus agalactiae and fungi, and complications (septic shock, severe heart failure, renal insufficiency, neurologic manifestations and perivalvular extension) were related with higher mortality. Independent factors for mortality in multivariate analysis were: Charlson comorbidity score (OR: 1.2; 95% CI: 1.1-1.3), prosthetic endocarditis (OR: 1.9; CI: 1.2-3.1), Staphylococcus aureus aetiology (OR: 2.1; CI: 1.3-3.5), severe heart failure (OR: 5.4; CI: 3.3-8.8), neurologic manifestations (OR: 1.9; CI: 1.2-2.9), septic shock (OR: 4.2; CI: 2.3-7.7), perivalvular extension (OR: 2.4; CI: 1.3-4.5) and acute renal failure (OR: 1.69; CI: 1.0-2.6). Conversely, Streptococcus viridans group etiology (OR: 0.4; CI: 0.2-0.7) and surgical treatment (OR: 0.5; CI: 0.3-0.8) were protective factors. Several characteristics of left-sided endocarditis enable selection of a patient group at higher risk of mortality. This group may benefit from more specialised attention in referral centers and should help to identify those patients who might benefit from more aggressive diagnostic and/or therapeutic procedures.

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Prognostic factors in left-sided endocarditis: results from the andalusian multicenter cohort

Resumen La endocarditis infecciosa es una enfermedad poco frecuente, con una incidencia estimada de entre 3,1 y 3,7 episodios cada 100.000 habitantes y ano, que es maxima en personas de edad avanzada. Los microorganismos que mas frecuentemente causan la infeccion son las diferentes especies de estafilococos y estreptococos. En las ultimas decadas ha cambiado el espectro de las cardiopatias que predisponen a padecer una endocarditis, ya que las cardiopatias degenerativas son las valvulopatias mas frecuentes y ha aumentado de manera notable el numero de pacientes con endocarditis infecciosa sin valvulopatia conocida previamente. Por otro lado, hasta un tercio de los pacientes con endocarditis infecciosa adquieren la infeccion como consecuencia de un contacto estrecho con el sistema sanitario, y estos pacientes son mas fragiles, hecho que condiciona una mayor mortalidad hospitalaria. Como consecuencia de estos importantes cambios epidemiologicos, la profilaxis antibiotica es capaz de prevenir pocos casos de endocarditis infecciosa. Pese a indudables avances en el tratamiento medico y quirurgico, la mortalidad hospitalaria de los pacientes con endocarditis infecciosa es elevada. Aun asi, hay margen de mejora en la prevencion de bacteriemias hospitalarias, la deteccion precoz de la infeccion en pacientes con riesgo conocido, la identificacion rapida de enfermos con mayor riesgo de complicaciones y la formacion de equipos multidisciplinarios para el manejo de esta enfermedad. Full English text available from: www.revespcardiol.org/en

Epidemiología de la endocarditis infecciosa en España en los últimos 20 años

Infective endocarditis is an uncommon disease, with an estimated incidence of 3.1 to 3.7 episodes per 100 000 inhabitants/year. The incidence is highest in elderly people. The microorganisms most frequently isolated in infective endocarditis are staphylococci and streptococci. In the last few decades, the spectrum of heart diseases predisposing to infective endocarditis has changed, since degenerative heart disease is the most common valve disease, and there are an increasing number of infective endocarditis patients without previously known valve disease. In addition, up to one-third of infective endocarditis patients become infected through contact with the health system. These patients are more frail, which leads to higher in-hospital mortality. As a result of substantial epidemiological changes, few cases of infective endocarditis can be prevented by antibiotic prophylaxis. Despite advances in medical and surgical treatment, in-hospital mortality among infective endocarditis patients is high. Nevertheless, there is room for improvement in reducing the rate of nosocomial bacteremia, the prompt diagnosis of infective endocarditis in at-risk patients, and the early identification of patients with a highest risk of complications, as well as in the creation of multidisciplinary teams for the management of this disease.

Epidemiology of infective endocarditis in Spain in the last 20 years.

Infective endocarditis (IE) is an uncommon and severe disease. Nowadays, in developed countries, IE patients are older, usually have a degenerative heart valve disease, and up to 30% acquire this infection within the health care system. In consequence, staphylococci species are the most frequently isolated microorganisms. Antimicrobial treatment for IE has significantly changed over the last decades. In IE episodes due to Staphylococcus aureus, cloxacillin-resistance makes antimicrobial election more difficult. Other microorganisms, such as enterococci and some species of streptococci, show high rates of resistance to antimicrobial agents established in guidelines. Despite improvements in the diagnosis, and medical and surgical treatment of IE, this disease continues to be associated with high rates of in-hospital mortality. At present, due to epidemiological changes, antimicrobial prophylaxis can avoid few cases of IE. Prevention of nosocomial bacteremia, an early diagnosis of IE, prompt identification of IE patients at a higher risk of mortality, and a multidisciplinary approach of this disease could be valid strategies in order to improve the outcome of these patients.

La endocarditis infecciosa en el siglo XXI , cambios epidemiológicos. terapéuticos y pronósticos

Left-sided infective endocarditis in patients with liver cirrhosis.

Introduction and objectives. Chronic liver disease increases the susceptibility to bacterial infections and infective endocarditis. Our aim was to determine the clinical and microbiological features and the prognosis in patients with chronic liver disease who also had infective endocarditis. Patients and method. One hundred and seventy-four consecutive inpatients at our institution were recruited and followed. Thirty of them had chronic liver disease. Clinical, microbiological and echocardiographic variables were analyzed and, in some cases, histological variables were also recorded. Results. Patients with chronic liver disease were younger (36 ± 11 vs 54 ± 18 years; p < 0.01) and had a larger proportion of intravenous drug users (73 vs 16%; p < 0.01), HIV infection (47 vs 10%; p < 0.01), right valve involvement and spleen enlargement, but heart failure appeared less often (7 vs 34%; p = 0.003). Thirty percent of the patients with and 51% of patients without chronic liver disease underwent surgery for infective endocarditis. Total mortality among patients with and without chronic liver disease was 40% and 31%, respectively. After adjustment for age and for the incidence of congestive heart failure, chronic liver disease doubled mid-term mortality with a RR = 2.45 (p = 0.015). Conclusions. Chronic liver disease has a significant impact on the prognosis in patients with infective endocarditis, and these patients should therefore be considered a high risk group.

Itziar Piedra

Papers

Endocarditis infecciosa en pacientes con hepatopatía crónica: valoración clínica y pronóstica