Infective endocarditis: a five-year experience at a tertiary care hospital in Pakistan

Clinicopathological differences between Bartonella and other bacterial endocarditis-related glomerulonephritis - our experience and a pooled analysis

Background

Although Staphylococcus aureus is the leading cause of acute infective endocarditis (IE) in adults, Bartonella spp. has concomitantly emerged as the leading cause of "blood culture-negative IE" (BCNE). Pre-disposing factors, clinical presentation and kidney biopsy findings in Bartonella IE-associated glomerulonephritis (GN) show subtle differences and some unique features relative to other bacterial infection-related GNs. We highlight these features along with key diagnostic clues and management approach in Bartonella IE-associated GN.

Methods

We conducted a pooled analysis of 89 cases of Bartonella IE-associated GN (54 published case reports and case series; 18 published conference abstracts identified using an English literature search of several commonly used literature search modalities); and four unpublished cases from our institution.

Results

Bartonella henselae and Bartonella quintana are the most commonly implicated species causing IE in humans. Subacute presentation, affecting damaged native and/or prosthetic heart valves, high titer anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic antibodies (ANCA), mainly proteinase-3 (PR-3) specificity, fastidious nature and lack of positive blood cultures of these Gram-negative bacilli, a higher frequency of focal glomerular crescents compared to other bacterial infection-related GNs are some of the salient features of Bartonella IE-associated GN. C3-dominant, but frequent C1q and IgM immunofluorescence staining is seen on biopsy. A "full-house" immunofluorescence staining pattern is also described but can be seen in IE -associated GN due to other bacteria as well. Non-specific generalized symptoms, cytopenia, heart failure and other organ damage due to embolic phenomena are the highlights on clinical presentation needing a multi-disciplinary approach for management. Awareness of the updated modified Duke criteria for IE, a high index of suspicion for underlying infection despite negative microbiologic cultures, history of exposure to animals, particularly infected cats, and use of send-out serologic tests for Bartonella spp. early in the course of management can help in early diagnosis and initiation of appropriate treatment.

Conclusion

Diagnosis of IE-associated GN can be challenging particularly with BCNE. The number of Bartonella IE-associated GN cases in a single institution tends to be less than IE due to gram positive cocci, however Bartonella is currently the leading cause of BCNE. We provide a much-needed discussion on this topic.

Sex Differences in Infective Endocarditis: A Systematic Review

Despite the advancement in medicine, there is still a lack of understanding of the sex disparities in disease onset, progression, treatment, and outcome. In some life-threatening acute conditions, despite most patients with these illnesses being males, females have a significantly higher chance of mortality. This can be due to the differences in disease progression or healthcare disparities in managing the illness between the sexes. Treatment of illnesses tends to be more conservative for women without an explanation, but this disparity is due to the healthcare provider. Infective endocarditis (IE) is an acute life-threatening condition where bacteria latch onto and seed damaged endocardium, with some preliminary information reporting differences between the sexes. This paper aims to evaluate the sex disparities in the incidence, age, comorbidities, etiology, risk factors, manifestations, treatment, and outcomes of IE. From 2003-2023, 21584 articles were found that focused on the sex differences in IE and, through PRISMA guidelines, were narrowed down to 34 publications. There are significant differences between the sexes in IE, such as a significantly higher incidence of IE in males, who also tend to be older and have their native aortic valves involved, compared to younger females who have their mitral valve involved. Comorbidities also vary between the sexes; females tend to have atrial fibrillation, chronic kidney disease, psychiatric disorders, and taking immunosuppressants compared to males who suffer from chronic liver disease, underlying valve disease, and peripheral artery disease, contributing to the ease of developing IE. While the most common microorganism leading to IE is Staphylococcus aureus, females were more likely to have culture-negative IE, and men were more likely to be infected with Streptococcus viridans. Major manifestations in IE are fever and vegetation along the closure of the valves in the heart, where females were more likely to have vegetation on the mitral and aortic valves. At the same time, males were more likely to have it on the tricuspid valve. On par with sex disparities in health, females usually took longer to seek medical help than males despite the advancement of symptoms and deterioration. Females were also treated conservatively through antibiotic management, whereas males were more likely to advance to surgical treatment, leading to a longer hospital stay. While there was no true difference in the in-hospital mortality rate, the 30-day and 1-year mortality were significantly increased in females. These differences provide a range of starting points for various research to further educate physicians on sex disparities, such as why males have a higher incidence of infective endocarditis and determining whether it's hormones and basic metabolites, possibly limiting those who develop the infection. Another important point is treating females with IE; the antibiotic doses are standard, but whether they advance to surgical treatment is mostly up to the provider. Some providers deny surgical treatment despite all indications, but it could also be females denying surgery as they tend to leave against medical advice. This review is crucial in developing the next steps to sex disparity in IE, which may lead to better outcomes for males and females.

Case report: Aorto-left atrial fistula-A rare complication of native aortic valve endocarditis

BACKGROUND

Aorto-cavitary fistula is a rare complication of infective endocarditis. Multimodal imaging is commonly required to assess the severity and extent of infection because of the complex pathology of the valvular and paravalvular apparatus in endocarditis.

CASE PRESENTATION

We present an unusual case of a middle-aged man with recent history of meningoencephalitis who developed infective endocarditis complicated by ruptured abscess in inter-valvular fibrosa between aortic and mitral valve resulting in free communication or fistula formation between aorta and left atrium. Patient underwent double valve replacement (aortic and mitral) along with repair of the aorta.

CONCLUSIONS

Our case highlights recognition of this rare clinical presentation of aorto-left atrial fistula in infective endocarditis and the diagnostic role of transesophageal echocardiography in good clinical outcome with aggressive and timely management.

A Three-Year Retrospective Study Assessing the Quality of the Course of Management of Infective Endocarditis in a Tertiary Hospital in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

BACKGROUND

Infective endocarditis (IE) is one of the most misdiagnosed diseases in Saudi Arabia because of the variable treatment regimen. This study aims to assess the quality of the management of infective endocarditis in a tertiary care teaching hospital.

METHODS

A single-center retrospective cohort study was conducted, based on electronic medical records extracted from the BestCare electronic medical record system, of all patients who presented with infective endocarditis as a final diagnosis from 2016 to 2019.

RESULTS

Out of a total of 99 patients diagnosed with infective endocarditis, 75% of our patients had blood cultures ordered before initiating empirical antibiotic therapy. Positive blood cultures were reported in 60% of patients. Staphylococcus aureus was the most common organism, identified in 18% of our patients, followed by Streptococcus viridans at 5%. Empirical antibiotics were initiated in 81% of patients. Proper antibiotic coverage was initiated within a week for 53% of the patients, and 14% had proper antibiotic coverage within two weeks. On echocardiography, 62% of the patients had vegetation that was present in a single valve. The mitral valve had the highest incidence of vegetation (24%), followed by the aortic valve (21%). Follow-up echocardiography was done in 52% of patients. It showed regressed vegetation in 43% of patients, while only 9% of patients had no vegetation regression. Valve repair was done in 25% of patients. Out of 99 patients, 47 required ICU admission. The mortality rate was 18%.

CONCLUSION

Overall management of infective endocarditis in the study hospital was appropriate and highly compliant with guidelines, with a few areas that could be improved further.

Evaluation of Infective Endocarditis in Children: A 19-Year Retrospective Study in Taiwan

Background: Infective endocarditis (IE) is an important cause of morbidity and mortality in pediatric patients with heart disease. Little literature has explored differences in the presentation of endocarditis in children with and without heart disease. This study aimed to compare the clinical outcomes and determine the risk of in-hospital death in the study population. Methods: Data were retrospectively collected from 2001 to 2019 from the Chang Gung Research Database (CGRD), which is the largest collection of multi-institutional electronic medical records in Taiwan. Children aged 0–20 years with IE were enrolled. We extracted and analyzed the demographic and clinical features, complications, microbiological information, and outcomes of each patient. Results: Of the 208 patients with IE, 114 had heart disease and 94 did not. Compared to those without heart disease, more streptococcal infections (19.3% vs. 2.1%, p < 0.001) and cardiac complications (29.8% vs. 6.4%, p < 0.001) were observed in patients with heart disease. Although patients with heart disease underwent valve surgery more frequently (43.9% vs. 8.5%, p < 0.001) and had longer hospital stays (28.5 vs. 12.5, p = 0.021), their mortality was lower than that of those without heart disease (3.5% vs. 10.6%, p = 0.041). Thrombocytopenia was independent risk factor for in-hospital mortality in pediatric patients with IE (OR = 6.56, 95% CI: 1.43–40.37). Conclusion: Among pediatric patients diagnosed with IE, microbiological and clinical features differed between those with and without heart disease. Platelet counts can be used as a risk factor for in-hospital mortality in pediatric patients with IE.

The oral microbiome in the pathophysiology of cardiovascular disease

Despite advances in our understanding of the pathophysiology of many cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) and expansion of available therapies, the global burden of CVD-associated morbidity and mortality remains unacceptably high. Important gaps remain in our understanding of the mechanisms of CVD and determinants of disease progression. In the past decade, much research has been conducted on the human microbiome and its potential role in modulating CVD. With the advent of high-throughput technologies and multiomics analyses, the complex and dynamic relationship between the microbiota, their 'theatre of activity' and the host is gradually being elucidated. The relationship between the gut microbiome and CVD is well established. Much less is known about the role of disruption (dysbiosis) of the oral microbiome; however, interest in the field is growing, as is the body of literature from basic science and animal and human investigations. In this Review, we examine the link between the oral microbiome and CVD, specifically coronary artery disease, stroke, peripheral artery disease, heart failure, infective endocarditis and rheumatic heart disease. We discuss the various mechanisms by which oral dysbiosis contributes to CVD pathogenesis and potential strategies for prevention and treatment.

Infective endocarditis in developing countries: An update

Introduction

Despite advances in diagnostic and treatment, morbidity and mortality due to infective endocarditis (IE) has not decreased. There is a discrepancy in epidemiology of IE between developed and developing countries. Over the last years, increased early detection and consequently prevalence of rheumatic heart disease (RHD) and congenital heart disease (CHD) which are considered predisposing conditions for IE, is noted. Here, we present a review of literature on IE in developing countries.

Methods

We conducted a systematic literature search of IE studies in developing countries through PubMed and Embase. We have divided the studies into two groups: studies published before 2015 (group 1) and studies ≥ 2015 (group 2). The outcome was defined as a difference in epidemiology, microbiology, treatment, and mortality over time. The Scale for Assessment of Narrative Review Articles guidelines was applied.

Findings

In total, 16 studies were included. The total number of IE cases was 1,098 and 1,505 in groups 1 and 2, respectively. We compared 4/7 cohorts from group 1 (n = 789) with 5/9 cohorts from group 2 (n = 636). Six studies were not included in the comparison because they were interacting between the two cohorts. Males predominated in all studies. Rheumatic heart disease was higher in group 1 than in group 2 (42.3% vs. 30.3%, p < 0.001) while for CHD there was no change (17.6% vs. 16.7%, p = 0.672). Streptococci infections was lower in group 1 than group 2 (26.2% vs. 37.7%, p < 0.001). The proportion of Staphylococcus aureus was 15.3% in group 1 and 23.6% in group 2, p < 0.001. Negative blood culture (NBC) was higher in group 1 than in group 2 (42.2% vs. 34.1%, p = 0.002). Patients in group 1 received more surgery than in group 2 (38.8% vs. 28.8%, p < 0.001). Mortality was similar in the two groups (20.9% vs. 22.3%, p = 0.518).

Conclusion

This review shows a scarcity of studies on IE in developing countries. Rheumatic heart disease and congenital heart disease are common predisposing conditions. Other risk factors are prosthetic valves, degenerative valve disease (DVD), intravenous drug use, and human immunodeficiency virus infection. While the proportion of IE cases caused by Streptococcus and Staphylococcus has increased, the number of NBC and patients getting surgery has decreased. Mortality has not changed over time. Timely diagnosis and management of patients with RHD and CHD and comprehensive management of IE are warranted.

Etiology, clinical characteristics, and outcome of infective endocarditis: 10-year experience from a tertiary care center in Pakistan

This study was conducted to assess the clinical characteristics, causative agents, complications, and outcomes of infective endocarditis (IE) among patients presenting to our tertiary care center over the last decade. This retrospective cohort study included all adult patients admitted to the Aga Khan University Hospital with the diagnosis of IE over a ten-year period from 2010 to 2020.  Outcomes variables included complications during hospitalization, surgical intervention, mortality, and length of stay. We identified a total of 305 cases out of which 176 (58%) were males and 129 (42%) were females. The mean age of the patients was 46.9±18.8 years. 95 (31%) had prosthetic valves in place. Staphylococcus aureus was isolated in 54 (39%) patients followed by coagulase-negative Staphylococcus in 23 (17%). Echocardiography revealed vegetations and abscesses in 236 (77%) and 4 (1%) patients, respectively. The most common valvular complication was mitral valve regurgitation found in 26 (9%) patients, followed by tricuspid valve regurgitation in 13 (4%) patients and aortic valve regurgitation in 11 (3%) patients. Furthermore, 81 (27%) patients suffered from heart failure and 66 (22%) from a stroke during hospitalization. The mean hospital length of stay was 10.4 ± 10.6 days. 64 (21%) patients required surgical repair and the overall mortality rate was 25%. Prosthetic valve endocarditis (OR = 3.74, 95% CI = 2.15-6.50, p<0.001), chronic kidney disease (OR = 2.51, 95% CI = 1.15-5.47, p=0.036), previous stroke (OR = 2.42, 95% CI = 1.18-4.96, p=0.026), and ischemic heart disease (OR = 3.04, 95% CI = 1.50-6.16, p=0.003) were significantly associated with an increased risk of mortality. In conclusion, our study provided valuable data on the clinical characteristics and outcomes of patients with IE in a developing country. S. aureus was the most common causative agent. Heart failure and stroke were the most common complications. The presence of prosthetic valves, history of chronic kidney disease, ischemic heart disease and previous stroke were associated with a significantly increased risk of mortality. Surgical management was not associated with improved outcomes.

Sequelae of Infective Endocarditis: Ruptured Aortic Root Abscess in a 38-Year-Old Female With Complicated Infective Endocarditis

A 38-year-old female with no known comorbidities or previous history of heart disease presented to the hospital with a three-day history of drowsiness and shortness of breath. Transthoracic echocardiography was performed, which showed large vegetations on aortic and tricuspid valves. In addition, there was severe aortic regurgitation with a possible abscess on the non-coronary cusp of the aortic valve.

The patient was admitted, and a provisional diagnosis of disseminated tuberculosis, Infective endocarditis (IE), and sepsis was made. Surgical intervention was planned. Intraoperative findings revealed that a fistula had formed connecting the aorta and right atrium, which was closed with an autologous graft derived from the patient’s pericardial tissue. Vegetations were removed, and the aortic valve was replaced with a metallic valve.

This case report presents a patient with complicated IE with a ruptured aortic root abscess. Mechanical complications associated with IE, such as in our case, are rare among patients with IE. However, surgical intervention should be considered as an option in complicated cases of IE when standard therapy fails.

Changing microbiological profile and antimicrobial susceptibility of the isolates obtained from patients with infective endocarditis - The time to relook into the therapeutic guidelines

The microbiological profile, associated risk factors and demographic characteristics of patients with IE has changed in the recent times. In the present study, the antibiotic susceptibility profile of 66 isolates (40 from IDU and 26 from non IDU) recovered over a period of three years from the patients with definitive diagnosis of IE along with their absolute minimum inhibitory concentrations (MIC-μg/ml) was determined as per CLSI, 2017 guidelines. Staphylococcus aureus was found to be the predominant pathogen associated with IE out of which 90.2% isolates were MRSA, although none of the isolates were found resistant to vancomycin, teicoplanin, daptomycin and linezolid. Pseudomonas aeruginosa isolates were 100% susceptible to carbapenams, however variable resistance was observed against other antimicrobials. All Enterococci were found to be 100% susceptible to linezolid and daptomycin, whereas vancomycin resistant enterococci phenotype was observed in 25% of the Enterococcal isolates. A noticeable difference in the antimicrobial susceptibility profile and their MICs were observed in the present study, as compared to published literature across the globe and within the country. However, no statistically significant difference (λ ² test, p > 0.01)in the AST pattern of isolates from IDU vs. Non IDU was observed. After reviewing the local antibiogram it seems that we need to have our own regional guidelines, which may partially replace the currently prevailing AHA/ESC guidelines.

Microbiological and Clinicoepidemiological Profile of a Series of Patients with Infective Endocarditis at a Center in Eastern Nepal

Background

The microbiological and clinicoepidemiological profile of infective endocarditis (IE) has undergone significant change over time. The pattern of IE studied at local level provides broader vision in understanding the current scenario of this disease. This study aimed to depict the overall picture of IE and its changing profile by evaluating the microbiological and clinicoepidemiological features in the context of a tertiary care center of eastern Nepal.

Methods

The descriptive study was conducted from September 2017 to August 2018 among IE patients presenting to B. P. Koirala Institute of Health Sciences, Nepal. Detailed history and clinical manifestations of patients were noted. Microorganisms isolated from the blood culture were processed for identification by standard microbiological methods, and susceptibility testings were done. Each patient was assessed daily during hospital stay.

Results

Ten definite and 7 possible endocarditis cases were studied. The mean age was 41.4 ± 15.85 (17–70) years with predominance of male (4.7 : 1). Rheumatic heart disease (41.1%) was the most common underlying heart disease observed followed by injection drug user endocarditis (23.5%). All the cases had native valve endocarditis. Aortic valve was the most common valve involved (35.3%) followed by mitral, tricuspid, and pulmonary valves. Blood culture positivity was 53%. Staphylococcus aureus was the major causative agent responsible for 23.5% of the cases followed by Enterococcus faecium, Enterococcus faecalis, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Mortality of 2 cases (11.8%) was associated with S. aureus and P. aeruginosa. Majority of patients developed acute kidney injury (35.3%) and congestive cardiac failure (23.5%).

Conclusion

IE patients in our center exhibited differences from the west in terms of age at presentation and predisposing factors but held similarity in terms of commonly isolated microorganisms. The changing patterns of IE, etiological agents, and their antimicrobial susceptibility observed in this study may be helpful for clinicians in formulating a new empirical antibiotic treatment protocol.

Clinical characteristics, microbiology, and outcomes of infective endocarditis in Qatar

Background: Infective endocarditis (IE) is a serious and potentially life-threatening disease. The epidemiology, treatment options, and outcomes have changed considerably over the last two decades. The aim of the study was to describe the epidemiology, clinical characteristics, and outcomes of patients with IE in Qatar.

Methods: Patients were identified from Hamad Medical Corporation hospitals’ electronic records, the national referral center for the State of Qatar. We included those aged ≥ 18 years with Duke Criteria-based diagnosis of IE during the period from January 2015 to September 2017. Demographic and clinical data were retrieved. Descriptive statistics were performed, and logistic regression analysis was used to describe the relationship between patient characteristics and all-cause in-hospital mortality. All potentially relevant variables were included in the univariate analysis, while those with p < 0.1 in the univariate logistic regression model were included in the multivariate analysis. For the final model, we calculated odds ratios (OR) adjusted for each of the variables included, along with their 95% confidence intervals (95% CI). Data were analyzed using STATA software version 15 (StataCorp, College Station, Texas, USA). The study was approved by the Institutional Research Board with a waiver for informed consent.

Results: Fifty-seven cases were included, of which 70% were males. The mean age was 51 years ( ± 16.8 years). Eleven (19%) were associated with prosthetic valves, and 6 (11%) with implantable cardiac devices. Fever (84%), dyspnea (46%), and heart failure (37%) were the most common presentations. Only 58% of patients had known preexisting valvular heart disease or an intracardiac device. Skin infections (10 patients, 18%) were the most prevalent portals of infection, followed by venous catheters, recent valve surgery, and implantable cardiac devices. Staphylococci were implicated in 19 (34%) and Streptococcaceae in 9 (16%) patients, whereas 21 (37%) patients were culture negative. Left-side IE (49 patients, 86%) was predominant. Acute kidney injury (AKI) (17 patients, 30%) and heart failure (11 patients, 19%) were common complications. The majority of patients received targeted antimicrobial therapy with at least two active agents. Only 9 (16%) patients underwent surgical intervention. Fourteen (25%) patients died of any cause before hospital discharge. Logistic regression analysis identified septic shock [OR 57.8, 95% CI 2.6–1360.2; p < 0.01] and AKI OR 33.9, 95% CI 2.9–398.1; p < 0.01) as the only risk factors independently associated with in-hospital mortality.

Conclusion: Staphylococci are the most common microbiological cause of IE in Qatar. Surgical intervention is uncommon, and mortality is relatively high. Our findings suggest that efforts should be directed toward improving IE prevention strategies in high-risk patients, encouraging early microbiological investigations and improving medical and surgical management.

Epidemiological and clinical profile of infective endocarditis at a Brazilian tertiary care center: an eight-year prospective study

INTRODUCTION

Infective endocarditis (IE) is a systemic infectious disease requiring a multidisciplinary team for treatment. This study presents the epidemiological and clinical data of 73 cases of IE in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

METHODS

This observational prospective cohort study of endocarditis patients during an eight-year study period described 73 episodes of IE in 70 patients (three had IE twice). Community-associated (CAIE) and healthcare-acquired infective endocarditis (HAIE) were diagnosed according to the modified Duke criteria. The collected data included demographic, epidemiologic, and clinical characteristics, including results of blood cultures, echocardiographic findings, surgical interventions, and outcome.

RESULTS

Analysis of data from the eight-year study period and 73 cases (70 patients) of IE showed a mean age of 46 years (SD=2.5 years; 1-84 years) and that 65.7% were male patients. The prevalence of CAIE and HAIE was 32.9% and 67.1%, respectively. Staphylococcus aureus (30.1%), Enterococcus spp. (19.1%), and Streptococcus spp. (15.0%) were the prevalent microorganisms. The relevant signals and symptoms were fever (97.2%; mean 38.6 + 0.05°C) and heart murmur (87.6%). Vegetations were observed in the mitral (41.1%) and aortic (27.4%) valves. The mortality rate of the cases was 47.9%.

CONCLUSIONS

In multivariate analysis, chronic renal failure (relative risk [RR]= 1.60; 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.01-2.55), septic shock (RR= 2.19; 95% CI 1.499-3.22), and age over 60 years (RR= 2.28; 95% CI 1.44-3.59) were indirectly associated with in-hospital mortality. The best prognosis was related to the performance of cardiovascular surgery (hazard ratio [HR]= 0.51; 95% CI 0.26-0.99).

Microbiological and clinical profile of infective endocarditis patients: an observational study experience from tertiary care center Karachi Pakistan

Background

The study analyzed microbiological and antimicrobial susceptibility profile of organisms isolated from patients with infective endocarditis (2015–17) and compared disease outcomes in cohorts of endocarditis patient with history of prior invasive vascular intervention (high risk group) vs those without (native valve group). We hypothesized that high risk group would be more likely to have severe disease outcomes.

Methods

This was a prospective cohort study (2015–17). All blood and cardiac tissue samples of enrolled patients suspected of endocarditis according to modified Duke’s criteria were followed for microbiological and antimicrobial susceptibility profile. The high risk group was compared with the native valve group with 90 day follow up to determine difference in clinical course and outcome in terms of disease severity (defined as any patient with endocarditis undergoing surgical management, readmission or dying). The data was analyzed using SPSS 21.0 software and chi-square test. 90 day mortality was calculated using Kaplan Meier survival curves.

Results

Total 104 patients with endocarditis were enrolled. Overall culture positivity rate was 71.2%. Streptococcus species were the most common isolate (36.7%), followed by S. aureus (17.3%) cases. In Streptococcus species, 14.2% showed intermediate susceptibility to penicillin. Thirty six patients were included in the cohort analysis. A poor outcome was seen in 85.7% high risk group as compared to 50% of native valve group. The overall mortality rate was 19.4%.

Conclusions

We found Streptococcus species to be the predominant pathogen for endocarditis overall. However Staphylococcus aureus predominated native valve group. High risk group showed more complicated clinical course.

Electronic supplementary material

The online version of this article (10.1186/s13019-018-0781-y) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Baseline C-reactive protein levels and prognosis in patients with infective endocarditis: A prospective cohort study

Background

Early diagnosis and risk-stratification among infective endocarditis (IE) patients are limited by poor microbiological yield and inadequate characterization of vegetations. A simple tool that can predict adverse outcomes in the early phase of management is required.

Aim

To study the prognostic value of C-reactive protein (CRP) levels at admission and its role in predicting various clinical outcomes.

Methods

In a prospective study of consecutive IE patients diagnosed by modified Duke’s criteria, we measured the peak levels of CRP and erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) in the first 3 days of admission and correlated it with in-hospital mortality, six-month mortality, embolic phenomena and the need for urgent surgery. Predefined laboratory-microbiological sampling protocols and antibiotic-initiation protocols were followed. Receiver-operating-characteristics curves were generated to identify a reliable cut-off for CRP in predicting various outcomes.

Results

Out of 101 patients who were treated, 85 patients had ‘definite’ IE. Blood cultures were positive in 55% (n = 39); and Staphylococcus species was the most common organism. Major complications occurred in 74.1% (n = 63) and in-hospital mortality was 32.9% (n = 28). Mean ESR and CRP levels were 102 ± 31 mm/h and 51 ± 20 mg/l, respectively. In multivariable analysis, high CRP levels were independently predictive of mortality, major complications, embolic events and need for urgent surgery. A CRP >40 mg/l predicted adverse outcomes with a sensitivity of 73% and specificity of 99%.

Conclusion

The study shows that baseline CRP level in the first 3 days of admission is a strong predictor of short term adverse outcomes in IE patients, and a useful marker for early risk stratification.

Prevalence and characteristics of tricuspid valve endocarditis among patients presented to Ain Shams Hospital echocardiography lab; one year study

Background

Isolated Tricuspid valve infective endocarditis is an infrequent diagnosis, the incidence of Tricuspid valve infective endocarditis accounts for 5% and up to 15% of IE cases.

Aim

To assess the prevalence and the echocardiographic characteristics of tricuspid valve endocarditis among patients presented to the echo lab of Ain Shams hospital from 1-1-2016 to 1-1-2017.

Methods

This is a retrospective study which included all patients presented to the echo lab of Ain Shams university hospital from 1st January 2016 to 1st January 2017, the total number of patients were 8376, patients with infective endocarditis were 278, and patients with tricuspid valve endocarditis were 51 patients respectively. Complete transthoracic echocardiography was done for all patients and data was retrieved from a locally designed electronic database of cardiology department at Ain shams hospitals.

Results

The incidence of TVIE was (17.7%) of all cases of IE, and (0.67%) of all cases attending the echo lab during the study period. The mean age group in our study was (31.1 ± 7.8) and about 84.3% of patient’s age was between 20 and 40 years. Higher incidence of IE was in males (90.2%) than in females (9.8%) with a ratio of 9:1. The vegetations were detected in one leaflet in 33 patients (64.7%), two leaflets in 9 patients (17.6%) and in the three TV leaflets in 7 patients (13.7). The most affected leaflet was the anterior leaflet that was affected in 38 patients constituting about 74.5% of patients. The size of vegetations was large >15 mm in 40 patients (78.4%).

The most encountered echocardiographic complication was severe TR, detected in 40 patients (78.4%) and abscess formation was the least present, detected in only 2 patients (3.9%).

Conclusion

The incidence of TV IE is increasing with male gender predominance, and affects mainly young age groups. TV IE represented 0.6% of all patients, and 17.7% of IE cases. The main echocardiographic feature of TV IE is vegetations which were characterized by being large, highly mobile, and affecting mainly anterior TV leaflet. The main echocardiographic complication is severe TR, but abscess formation was infrequent.

Short- and long-term outcomes in infective endocarditis patients: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Background

Despite advances in medical knowledge, technology and antimicrobial therapy, infective endocarditis (IE) is still associated with devastating outcomes. No reviews have yet assessed the outcomes of IE patients undergoing short- and long-term outcome evaluation, such as all-cause mortality and IE-related complications. We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis to examine the short- and long-term mortality, as well as IE-related complications in patients with definite IE.

Methods

A computerized systematic literature search was carried out in PubMed, Scopus and Google Scholar from 2000 to August, 2016. Included studies were published studies in English that assessed short-and long-term mortality for adult IE patients. Pooled estimations with 95% confidence interval (CI) were calculated with DerSimonian-Laird (DL) random-effects model. Sensitivity and subgroup analyses were also performed. Publication bias was evaluated using inspection of funnel plots and statistical tests.

Results

Twenty five observational studies (retrospective, 14; prospective, 11) including 22,382 patients were identified. The overall pooled mortality estimates for IE patients who underwent short- and long-term follow-up were 20% (95% CI: 18.0–23.0, P < 0.01) and 37% (95% CI: 27.0–48.0, P < 0.01), respectively. The pooled prevalence of cardiac complications in patients with IE was found to be 39% (95%CI: 32.0–46.0) while septic embolism and renal complications accounted for 25% (95% CI: 20.0–31) and 19% (95% CI: 14.0–25.0) (all P < 0.01), respectively.

Conclusion

Irrespective of the follow-up period, a significantly higher mortality rate was reported in IE patients, and the burden of IE-related complications were immense. Further research is needed to assess the determinants of overall mortality in IE patients, as well as well-designed observational studies to conform our results.

Electronic supplementary material

The online version of this article (10.1186/s12872-017-0729-5) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Bartonella Species, an Emerging Cause of Blood-Culture-Negative Endocarditis

Since the reclassification of the genus Bartonella in 1993, the number of species has grown from 1 to 45 currently designated members. Likewise, the association of different Bartonella species with human disease continues to grow, as does the range of clinical presentations associated with these bacteria. Among these, blood-culture-negative endocarditis stands out as a common, often undiagnosed, clinical presentation of infection with several different Bartonella species. The limitations of laboratory tests resulting in this underdiagnosis of Bartonella endocarditis are discussed. The varied clinical picture of Bartonella infection and a review of clinical aspects of endocarditis caused by Bartonella are presented. We also summarize the current knowledge of the molecular basis of Bartonella pathogenesis, focusing on surface adhesins in the two Bartonella species that most commonly cause endocarditis, B. henselae and B. quintana. We discuss evidence that surface adhesins are important factors for autoaggregation and biofilm formation by Bartonella species. Finally, we propose that biofilm formation is a critical step in the formation of vegetative masses during Bartonella-mediated endocarditis and represents a potential reservoir for persistence by these bacteria.

Assessment of periodontitis and its role in viridans streptococcal bacteremia and infective endocarditis

OBJECTIVES

To evaluate the role of periodontitis in viridans group streptococci (VGS) bacteremia and infective endocarditis (IE).

METHODS

A total of 200 subjects including two groups. Group A- 34 subjects undergoing tooth extraction with periodontitis, 46 subjects undergoing tooth extraction without periodontitis and 40 healthy controls. Group B: 40 confirmed cases of IE (17 with and 23 without periodontitis) and 40 healthy controls. Subgingival plaque and blood samples were obtained and processed by standard procedures.

RESULTS

A total of 53 blood samples (66.25%) yielded positive cultures after tooth extraction. The relationship between the presence of periodontitis and a positive blood culture was significantly higher (p=0.05) for tooth extraction cases with periodontitis (79.40%) than tooth extraction cases without periodontitis (56.50%). Periodontitis was observed in 42.5% of IE cases. Out of the 40 patients of IE, the blood samples yielded 40 different isolates, majority were viridans streptococci 15 (37.5%) and staphylococci nine (22.5%). No statistically significant difference was observed between the subgingival plaque and blood isolates of periodontitis in both the groups, indicating similarity of biotypes of viridans streptococci isolated from the blood and the subgingival plaque. Similarity was also observed between the antibiogram profiles of viridans streptococci from both the groups.

CONCLUSIONS

Periodontitis enhances viridans streptococcal bacteremia and may be a potential risk factor for IE.

New insights into valve-related intramural and intracellular bacterial diversity in infective endocarditis

Aims

In infective endocarditis (IE), a severe inflammatory disease of the endocardium with an unchanged incidence and mortality rate over the past decades, only 1% of the cases have been described as polymicrobial infections based on microbiological approaches. The aim of this study was to identify potential biodiversity of bacterial species from infected native and prosthetic valves. Furthermore, we compared the ultrastructural micro-environments to detect the localization and distribution patterns of pathogens in IE.

Material and methods

Using next-generation sequencing (NGS) of 16S rDNA, which allows analysis of the entire bacterial community within a single sample, we investigated the biodiversity of infectious bacterial species from resected native and prosthetic valves in a clinical cohort of 8 IE patients. Furthermore, we investigated the ultrastructural infected valve micro-environment by focused ion beam scanning electron microscopy (FIB-SEM).

Results

Biodiversity was detected in 7 of 8 resected heart valves. This comprised 13 bacterial genera and 16 species. In addition to 11 pathogens already described as being IE related, 5 bacterial species were identified as having a novel association. In contrast, valve and blood culture-based diagnosis revealed only 4 species from 3 bacterial genera and did not show any relevant antibiotic resistance. The antibiotics chosen on this basis for treatment, however, did not cover the bacterial spectra identified by our amplicon sequencing analysis in 4 of 8 cases. In addition to intramural distribution patterns of infective bacteria, intracellular localization with evidence of bacterial immune escape mechanisms was identified.

Conclusion

The high frequency of polymicrobial infections, pathogen diversity, and intracellular persistence of common IE-causing bacteria may provide clues to help explain the persistent and devastating mortality rate observed for IE. Improved bacterial diagnosis by 16S rDNA NGS that increases the ability to tailor antibiotic therapy may result in improved outcomes.

Infective Endocarditis in Low- and Middle-Income Countries

Infective endocarditis (IE) is a rare, life-threatening disease with a mortality rate of 25% and significant debilitating morbidities. Although much has been reported on contemporary IE in high-income countries, conclusions on the state of IE in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) are based on studies conducted before the year 2000. Furthermore, unique challenges in the diagnosis and management of IE persist in LMICs. This article reviews IE studies conducted in LMICs documenting clinical experiences from the year 2000 to 2016. Presented are the causes of IE, management of patients with IE, and prevailing challenges in diagnosis and treatment of IE in LMICs.

Asymptomatic and symptomatic embolic events in infective endocarditis: associated factors and clinical impact

Background

Embolic complications of infective endocarditis are common. The impact of asymptomatic embolism is uncertain.

Objectives

To determine the frequency of emboli due to IE and to identify events associated with embolism.

Methods

Retrospective analysis of an endocarditis database, prospectively implemented, with a post hoc study driven by analysis of data on embolic events. Data was obtained from the International Collaboration Endocarditis case report forms and additional information on embolic events and imaging reports were obtained from the medical records. Variables associated with embolism were analyzed by the statistical software R version 3.1.0.

Results

In the study period, 2006–2011, 136 episodes of definite infective endocarditis were included. The most common complication was heart failure (55.1%), followed by embolism (50%). Among the 100 medical records analyzed for emboli in left-sided infective endocarditis, 36 (36%) were found to have had asymptomatic events, 11 (11%) to the central nervous system and 28 (28%) to the spleen. Cardiac surgery was performed in 98/136 (72%). In the multivariate analysis, splenomegaly was the only associated factor for embolism to any site (p < 0.01, OR 4.7, 95% CI 2.04–11). Factors associated with embolism to the spleen were positive blood cultures (p = 0.05, OR 8.9, 95% CI 1.45–177) and splenomegaly (p < 0.01, OR 9.28, 95% CI 3.32–29); those associated to the central nervous system were infective endocarditis of the mitral valve (p < 0.05, OR 3.5, 95% CI 1.23–10) and male gender (p < 0.05, OR 3.2, 95% CI 1.04–10). Splenectomy and cardiac surgery did not impact on in-hospital mortality.

Conclusions

Asymptomatic embolism to the central nervous system and to the spleen were frequent. Splenomegaly was consistently associated with embolic events.

Evaluation of epidemiological, clinical, and microbiological features of definite infective endocarditis

Background: Infective endocarditis (IE) is a microbial infection of heart valves and its endothelial lining which is considered as a life-threatening disorder. This study evaluated the epidemiological, clinical, and microbiological features of IE at the Cardiovascular Research Center in Yazd, Iran.

Methods: The cross-sectional study was conducted on 20 patients diagnosed with definite IE on the basis of Duke’s criteria hospitalized for one year in the Cardiovascular Research Center in Yazd, Iran, from January 2015 to December 2015. Demographic information, clinical, laboratory, and microbiological findings, and also trans-esophageal echocardiography (TEE) of each patient were recorded and assessed. The collected data were analyzed using SPSS 16.

Results: The mean age of the patients under study was 45±16 years with most of the afflicted patients (60%) being male. Most cases (70%) of IE were observed in the warm seasons (spring and summer). The most common clinical sign (80%) was fever. TEE was positive for all (100%) patients, and vegetation was seen in all patients. The nosocomial mortality rate was zero. However, 14 (70%) patients underwent surgical treatment. The valves afflicted with IE were: the mitral valve (40%), the aortic valve (35%), and the tricuspid valve (25%), respectively. 4 patients (20%) had a positive history of IE. Blood culture test was positive only in 1 case and the isolated microorganism belonged to the viridans group streptococci.

Conclusion: Despite the one-year high prevalence of IE in this study, the nosocomial mortality rate was not high and was reported to be nil under surgical and antimicrobial therapy.

Interactive clinical case: to give, or not to give, infective endocarditis prophylaxis

The practice of prophylactic use of antibiotics before certain procedures for preventing infective endocarditis (IE) is not based on rigorous scientific data. It seems reasonable, however, to offer prophylactic antibiotics before dental procedures to patients who would have the highest risk of adverse events if they were to develop IE. The current recommendations do not include patients with rheumatic heart disease (RHD) in such a category. In the real world, however, patients with underlying RHD suffer high morbidity and mortality with IE due to several reasons. Consequently, prophylactic antibiotics should be used judiciously in patients with RHD. Further, other patient related factors might influence the decision to use antibiotics.

Evaluation of empirical treatment for blood culture-negative endocarditis

OBJECTIVES

Much progress has been made in understanding the main causes of blood culture-negative endocarditis (BCNE). Few studies concerning BCNE treatment (due to previous antibiotics used or fastidious pathogens) are available. We performed this study to evaluate the effectiveness of our therapeutic protocol in BCNE, based on compliance with the protocol, outcome and 1 year mortality.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

We collected prospectively and analysed retrospectively cases of BCNE between 2002 and 2014, using a simplified and standardized protocol developed by our multidisciplinary team. We apply two kinds of protocols to treat BCNE, which include only four intravenous antimicrobial agents: amoxicillin, vancomycin, gentamicin and amphotericin B.

RESULTS

We had 177 patients with definite BCNE. There were 154 (87.0%) patients treated with both appropriate antimicrobial agents and appropriate duration of treatment. We analysed the causes of inappropriate treatment in 13 (7.3%) cases and inappropriate duration in 10 (5.6%) cases. The treatment changes were justified in all cases except one of discharge against medical advice. The fatality rate was 5.1% (nine cases) and all deaths occurred in the group of patients who were treated with appropriate treatment; however, four deaths were not attributable to empirical treatment failure. Concerning the other deaths, the lack of surgical management, in association with empirical treatment, could explain our protocol's failure, such as poorly tolerated surgery.

CONCLUSIONS

Our protocol is efficient and our mortality rate was low, compared with the literature review. This may result from a strategy that uses a sampling procedure and a standardized protocol at the same time.

A 20-year study on treating childhood infective endocarditis with valve replacement in a single cardiac center in China

BACKGROUND

Children with infective endocarditis (IE) have to undergo valve replacement instead of valve repair in China due to severe valve damage. The present study is to review our experience on surgical treatment of children with IE in reference to the incidence, pathologic status, diagnosis, surgical strategies and outcomes.

METHODS

We reviewed 35 patients with a mean age of 13.7±2.2 years who were underwent valve replacement surgery for IE during the period from January 1993 to December 2013. Preoperative transthoracic echocardiographic (TTE) evaluation and transesophageal echocardiography during operation were performed in all patients. All the children underwent chart review and retrospective risk-hazard analysis.

RESULTS

Among the patients surveyed congenital cardiac lesions were present in 15 (42.8%), rheumatic heart valve disease in 2 (5.7%) and previous heart surgery in 2 (5.7%). The median stay of intensive care unit was 6 days. Intraoperative findings showed that the endocarditis involved mostly the mitral and aortic valves (88.5%). Triple or quadruple valve involvement was found in one patient each. Ten-year freedom from IE-related death and re-intervention was 94.2% and 91.6%, respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

Children undergoing surgery for IE frequently have advanced disease with embolic complications. Although valve replacement is not the primary option for pediatric IE, the rate of 5-year survival and freedom from re-operation was optimal prognostically. Pediatric physicians should pay attention to the common clinical features of IE so that the native valve is preserved well.

The causative agents in infective endocarditis: a systematic review comprising 33,214 cases

Infective endocarditis (IE) incidence remains high with considerable fatality rates; guidelines for prophylaxis against IE are currently under review in some settings which highlights the importance of maintaining up-to-date epidemiological estimates about the most common microbial causes. The objective of this systematic review, following PRISMA guidelines, was to identify the most common microbial causes of IE in recent years. Medline was searched from January 1, 2003 to March 31, 2013 for all articles containing the term "infective endocarditis". All relevant studies reporting diagnostic results were included. Special patient subpopulations were assessed separately. A total of 105 studies were included, from 36 countries, with available data on a total of 33,214 cases. Staphylococcus aureus was found to be the most common microorganism, being the most frequent in 54.3 % of studies (N = 57) (and in 55.4 % of studies using Duke's criteria for diagnosis [N = 51]). Viridans group streptococci (VGS), coagulase-negative staphylococci (CoNS), Enterococcus spp and Streptococcus bovis were among the most common causes. S. aureus was the most common pathogen in almost all population subgroups; however, this was not the case in patients with implantable devices, prosthetic valves, or immunocompromised non-HIV, as well as in the sub-group from Asia, emphasizing that a global one-size-fits-all approach to the management of suspected IE is not appropriate. This review provides an evidence-based map of the most common causative agents of IE, highlighting S. aureus as the leading cause in the 21st century. The changing epidemiology of IE in some patient sub-groups in the last decade and the very high number of microbiologically undiagnosed cases (26.6 %) suggest the need to revisit IE prophylaxis and diagnostic strategies.

Diagnosis of blood culture-negative endocarditis and clinical comparison between blood culture-negative and blood culture-positive cases

PURPOSE

To analyze the clinical characteristics of blood culture-negative endocarditis (BCNE) and how it compares to those of blood culture-positive endocarditis (BCPE) cases and show how molecular tools helped establish the etiology in BCNE.

METHODS

Adult patients with definite infective endocarditis (IE) and having valve surgery were included. Valves were studied by polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Statistical analysis compared BCNE and BCPE.

RESULTS

One hundred and thirty-one patients were included; 53 (40 %) had BCNE. The mean age was 45 ± 16 years; 33 (62 %) were male. BCNE was community-acquired in 41 (79 %). Most patients were referred from other hospitals (38, 73 %). Presentation was subacute in 34 (65 %), with fever in 47/53 (90 %) and a new regurgitant murmur in 34/42 (81 %). Native valves were affected in 74 %, mostly left-sided. All echocardiograms showed major criteria for IE. Antibiotics were used prior to BC collection in 31/42 (74 %). Definite histological diagnosis was established for 35/50 (70 %) valves. PCR showed oralis group streptococci in 21 (54 %), S. aureus in 3 (7.7 %), gallolyticus group streptococci in 2 (5.1 %), Coxiella burnetii in 1 (2.5 %) and Rhizobium sp. in 1 (2.5 %). In-hospital mortality was 9/53 (17 %). Fever (p = 0.06, OR 4.7, CI 0.91-24.38) and embolic complications (p = 0.003, OR 3.3, CI 1.55-6.82) were more frequent in BCPE cases, while new acute regurgitation (p = 0.05, OR 0.3, CI 0.098-0.996) and heart failure (p = 0.02, OR 0.3, CI 0.13-0.79) were less so.

CONCLUSIONS

BCNE resulted mostly from prior antibiotics and was associated with severe hemodynamic compromise. Valve histopathology and PCR were useful in confirming the diagnosis and pointing to the etiology of BCNE.

Metagenomic analysis for detecting pathogens in culture-negative infective endocarditis

Pathogen identification is important for proper diagnosis and optimal treatment of infective endocarditis (IE). Blood and valve cultures are the gold standard for detecting pathogens responsible for IE. However, these tests only detect culturable pathogens, and have low sensitivity, especially in patients previously treated with antibiotics. Culture-negative IE is still a major clinical problem and a diagnostic challenge. Recently, metagenomic analysis using next generation sequencing has been used to detect pathogens directly from clinical samples. However, there are very few reports of the use of metagenomic analysis for pathogen identification in culture-negative IE cases and the usefulness of this new method is unknown. Here, we report a case of successful pathogen detection with metagenomic analysis in a patient of culture-negative IE. The patient underwent valve replacement surgery and received antibiotics for 5 weeks and survived. Using metagenomic analysis of resected vegetation, we detected Abiotrophia defectiva, which is often associated with culture-negative IE due to its fastidious growth. This method may be useful for pathogen identification in future cases of culture-negative IE.

Global and regional burden of infective endocarditis, 1990-2010: a systematic review of the literature

Infective endocarditis (IE) is a life-threatening disease associated with serious complications. The GBD 2010 (Global Burden of Disease, Injuries, and Risk Factors) study IE expert group conducted a systematic review of IE epidemiology literature to inform estimates of the burden on IE in 21 world regions in 1990 and 2010. The disease model of IE for the GBD 2010 study included IE death and 2 sequelae: stroke and valve surgery. Several medical and science databases were searched for IE epidemiology studies in GBD high-, low-, and middle-income regions published between 1980 and 2008. The epidemiologic parameters of interest were IE incidence, proportions of IE patients who developed stroke or underwent valve surgery, and case fatality. Literature searches yielded 1,975 unique papers, of which 115 published in 10 languages were included in the systematic review. Eligible studies were population-based (17%), multicenter hospital-based (11%), and single-center hospital-based studies (71%). Population-based studies were reported from only 6 world regions. Data were missing or sparse in many low- and middle-income regions. The crude incidence of IE ranged between 1.5 and 11.6 cases per 100,000 people and was reported from 10 countries. The overall mean proportion of IE patients that developed stroke was 0.158 ± 0.091, and the mean proportion of patients that underwent valve surgery was 0.324 ± 0.188. The mean case fatality risk was 0.211 ± 0.104. A systematic review for the GBD 2010 study provided IE epidemiology estimates for many world regions, but highlighted the lack of information about IE in low- and middle-income regions. More complete knowledge of the global burden of IE will require improved IE surveillance in all world regions.

Assesment of the Duke criteria for the diagnosis of infective endocarditis after twenty-years. An analysis of 241 cases

BACKGROUND AND AIMS

In the absence of classical features (fever, cardiac murmur, and peripheral vascular stigmata) the diagnosis of infective endocarditis (IE) may be difficult. Current clinical guidelines for the diagnosis and management of IE recommend the use of modified Duke criteria. Correct and prompt diagnosis of IE is crucial for the treatment and outcome of the patients. The aim of this study was to evaluate the presence and the individual value of each criterion of the modified Duke criteria in our patients with infective endocarditis.

METHODS

We performed a prospective observational study between January 2008 - June 2014, in which we enrolled consecutive adult patients admitted for suspicion of IE to the Hospital of Infectious Diseases and at the Heart Institute . We used and extensive database in order to collect demographic data, laboratory and echocardiography results, evolution and outcome of the patients. Using the modified Duke criteria we identified 3 categories of IE: definite, possible and rejected. In order to evaluate the importance of each criterion in the diagnosis of IE we tested two hypotheses. First, we excluded each criterion from the final diagnosis and we counted how many cases felt into a lower category. Second, after adding each major and minor criterion, we tested how many cases would have been classifiable as definite IE.

RESULTS

The study included 241 adult patients with a mean age 58.16 years and sex ratio male/female 1.94. According to the modified Duke criteria 137 patients had definite IE, 79 patients had possible IE and 25 cases had rejected IE We had blood cultures positive IE in 109 cases and blood culture negative IE (BCNE) in 132 (71.21%) cases. Antibiotic treatment prior to blood culture was recorded in 152 (63.07%) patients. In the absence of the echocardiography major criterion, 43% of cases would become possible. After extraction of major microbiological criterion, only one third of definite cases would become possible. Minor criteria such as fever and predisposition contributed to the diagnosis only in 10% of cases. In the presence of vascular or immunological phenomena, or in the presence of minor microbiological criterion, half of the possible IE cases could become possible.

CONCLUSION

Twenty-years after their launch, the Duke criteria for the diagnosis of IE continue to be important tools. Low index of suspicion of IE and inappropriate use of antibiotics may have a great negative impact on the diagnosis of IE. Nowadays, the scarcity of classical Osler manifestations - bacteremia, fever and peripheral stigmata - makes the diagnosis of IE a challenge.

Prospective comparison of infective endocarditis in Khon Kaen, Thailand and Rennes, France

Prospectively collected, contemporary data are lacking on how the features of infective endocarditis (IE) vary according to region. We, therefore, compared IE in Rennes, France and Khon Kaen, Thailand. Fifty-eight patients with confirmed IE were enrolled at each site during 2011 and 2012 using a common protocol. Compared with French patients, Thais had a lower median age (47 versus 70 years old; P < 0.001) and reported more animal contact (86% versus 21%; P < 0.001). There were more zoonotic infections among Thai than France patients (6 and 1 cases; P = 0.017) and fewer staphylococcal infections (4 versus 15 cases; P = 0.011). Underlying rheumatic heart disease was more prevalent in Thai than in French patients (31% and 4%; P = 0.001), whereas prosthetic heart valves were less prevalent (9% and 35%; P = 0.001). Our data strengthen previous observations that IE in the tropics has distinctive demographic characteristics, risk factors, and etiologies and underscore the need for improved prevention and control strategies.

Infective endocarditis in the Lao PDR: clinical characteristics and outcomes in a developing country

INTRODUCTION

Data on infective endocarditis (IE) in Southeast Asia are scarce.

OBJECTIVES

To describe the clinical epidemiology of IE in Lao PDR, a lower middle-income country.

METHODS

A single centre retrospective study at Mahosot Hospital, Vientiane. Patients aged over 1year of age admitted 2006-2012 to Mahosot Hospital with definite or possible IE by modified Duke criteria were included.

RESULTS

Thirty-six patients fulfilled the inclusion criteria; 33 (91.7%) had left-sided IE. Eleven (30.6%) had definite IE and 25 (69.4%) possible left-sided IE. Median age was 25years old [IQR 18-42]. Fifteen patients (41.7%) were males. Underlying heart diseases included: rheumatic valve disease in 12 (33.3%), congenital heart disease in 7 (19.4%), degenerative valve disease in 3 (8.3%), and of unknown origin in 14 (38.9%) patients. Native valve IE was present in 30 patients (83.3%), and prosthetic valve IE in 6 patients (16.7%). The most frequent pathogens were Streptococcus spp. in 7 (19.4%). Blood cultures were negative in 22 patients (61.1%). Complications included: heart failure in 11 (30.6%), severe valve regurgitation in 7 (19.4%); neurological event in 7 (19.4%); septic shock or severe sepsis in 5 (13.9%); and cardiogenic shock in 3 patients (8.3%). No patient underwent heart surgery. Fourteen (38.9%) had died by follow-up after a median of 2.1years [IQR 1-3.2]; and 3 (8.3%) were lost to follow-up.

CONCLUSIONS

Infective endocarditis, a disease especially of young adults and mainly caused by Streptococcus spp., was associated with rheumatic heart disease and had high mortality in Laos.

Infective endocarditis in Turkey: aetiology, clinical features, and analysis of risk factors for mortality in 325 cases

OBJECTIVE

In order to define the current characteristics of infective endocarditis (IE) in Turkey, we evaluated IE cases over a 14-year period in a tertiary referral hospital.

METHODS

All adult patients who were hospitalized in our hospital with a diagnosis of IE between 2000 and 2013 were included in the study. Modified Duke criteria were used for diagnosis. The Chi-square test, Student's t-test, Mann-Whitney U-test, Cox and logistic regression analysis were used for the statistical analysis.

RESULTS

There were 325 IE cases during the study period. The mean age of the patients was 47 years. Causative microorganisms were identified in 253 patients (77.8%) and included staphylococci (36%), streptococci (19%), enterococci (7%), and Brucella spp (5%). A streptococcal aetiology was associated with younger age (<40 years) (p=0.001), underlying chronic rheumatic heart disease (CRHD) (odds ratio (OR) 3.89) or a congenital heart defect (OR 4.04), community acquisition (OR 17.93), and native valve (OR 3.68). A staphylococcal aetiology was associated with healthcare acquisition (OR 2.26) or pacemaker lead-associated endocarditis (OR 6.63) and an admission creatinine level of >1.2mg/dl (OR 2.15). Older age (>50 year) (OR 3.93), patients with perivalvular abscess (OR 9.18), being on dialysis (OR 6.22), and late prosthetic valve endocarditis (OR 3.15) were independent risk factors for enterococcal IE. Independent risk factors for mortality in IE cases were the following: being on dialysis (hazard ratio (HR) 4.13), presence of coronary artery heart disease (HR 2.09), central nervous system emboli (HR 2.33), and congestive heart failure (HR 2.15). Higher haemoglobin (HR 0.87) and platelet (HR 0.996) levels and surgical interventions for IE (HR 0. 33) were found to be protective factors against mortality.

CONCLUSIONS

In Turkey, IE occurs in relatively young patients and Brucella spp should always be taken into consideration as a cause of this infection. We should first consider streptococci as the causative agents of IE in young patients, those with CRHD or congenital heart valve disease, and cases of community-acquired IE. Staphylococci should be considered first in the case of pacemaker lead IE, when there are high levels of creatinine, and in cases of healthcare-associated IE. Enterococci could be the most probable causative agent of IE particularly in patients aged >50 years, those on dialysis, those with late prosthetic valve IE, and those with a perivalvular abscess. The early diagnosis and treatment of IE before complications develop is crucial because the mortality rate is high among cases with serious complications. The prevention of bacteraemia with the measures available among chronic haemodialysis patients should be a priority because of the higher mortality rate of subsequent IE among this group of patients.

Changing profile of infective endocarditis: a clinicopathologic study of 220 patients in a single medical center from 1998 through 2009

The epidemiologic profile of infective endocarditis has changed substantially over the past few years, especially in industrialized countries. Our study evaluates the clinical and pathologic characteristics of infective endocarditis patients treated by cardiac surgery in China during a 12-year period. We retrospectively evaluated 220 surgically treated infective endocarditis patients and analyzed their changes from the beginning of 1998 through 2009. The mean age of the patients increased from 36.9 to 42.7 years during those 12 years (P=0.036). The chief predisposing disease was congenital heart disease (32.8%), rather than rheumatic heart disease (13.2%); this rate did not change significantly during the 12 years. The prevalent congenital lesion was bicuspid aortic valve, the rate of which (55.6%) increased significantly over the 3 time intervals studied (P=0.016). The frequency of infective endocarditis after non-dental surgical and nonsurgical intervention was significantly greater (23.3%) during 1998 through 2001, compared with the 2 intervals that followed (9%; P=0.019). Streptococcus viridans was the most frequent causative agent overall (25.6%). Forty-seven of the 220 patients (21.4%) carried the clinical diagnosis of some other form of heart disease before surgery, but at surgery they were found to have infective endocarditis as the fundamental disease process. Of 47 patients, 33 (70.2%) had either very small or no vegetations but had focal necrosis and inflammation of valve tissue that supported the diagnosis of infective endocarditis.

Infective endocarditis in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil: a 5-year experience at two teaching hospitals

INTRODUCTION

Despite the recent advances in diagnosis and treatment, mortality rates due to infective endocarditis (IE) remain high if not aggressively treated with antibiotics, whether or not associated with surgery. Data on the prevalence, epidemiology and etiology of IE from developing countries remain scarce. The aim of this observational, prospective cohort study was to report a 5-year experience of IE at two teaching hospitals in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

Demographical, anamnestic and microbiological characteristics of 71 IE patients were evaluated during the period of January 2009 to March 2013.

RESULTS

The mean age of the IE patients was 49.8 ± 2.4 years, of which 41 (57.7%) were males. The median time between the onset of symptoms and diagnosis of IE was 35.8 ± 4.8 days. A total of 31 (43.6%) cases of community-acquired infective endocarditis (CAIE) and 40 (56.3%) cases of healthcare-acquired infective endocarditis (HAIE) were observed. Staphylococcus aureus (30%) was the predominant cause of IE. Streptococcus spp. (45.1 %) was the predominant cause of the CAIE while S. aureus (32.5%) and Enterococcus spp. (27.2 %) were the main etiological agents of HAIE. For 64 (90.1 %) patients with native valve endocarditis, the mitral valve was the most commonly affected (48.3%). The main source of IE in this cohort was intravascular catheter. The tricuspid valve and renal chronic insufficiency were more frequent in patients with HAIE than CAIE (p = 0.001). The risk factors associated with in-hospital mortality rate (46.4%) in IE patients were: age over 45 (OR 3.4; 95% CI 1.03-11.24; p = 0.04) and chronic renal insufficiency (OR 38.3; 95% CI 3.2-449.4; p = 0.004).

CONCLUSIONS

At two main teaching hospitals in Brazil, Streptococcus spp. was the principal pathogen of CAIE while S. aureus and Enterococcus spp. were the most frequent causes of HAIE. IE remains a serious disease associated with high in-hospital mortality rate (46.6%); especially, in individuals over 45 years of age and with renal failure. Data suggest that early surgery may improve the outcome of IE patients.

Gender bias in child care and child health: global patterns

Gender-based discrimination is reported across the spectrum of paediatric healthcare including emergency, inpatient, outpatient and preventive care and is mostly reported from South Asia and China with sporadic reports from Africa and South America. Biases against young girls have been documented even in immunisation percentage, home food allocation, seeking medical care for childhood ailments and percentage of household healthcare expenditures allocated to them. Such gender discrimination in access to medical care is likely to have an influence on the overall health of female children. Over the last five decades, the under-5 sex ratios are worsening in India with declining number of girls. Deliberate parental neglect of girls' essential and life-saving medical care is also an important contributing factor apart from sex-selective abortions to the declining gender ratios. Corrective measures and focused action are needed.

Changing pattern of infective endocarditis in Iran: A 16 years survey

OBJECTIVES

To investigate the changes in characteristics of patients with infective endocarditis in Iran and comparing the results with the changing profiles of Infection Endocarditis (IE) in other countries.

METHODOLOGY

We studied all patients with definite or possible IE seen at four referral teaching hospitals in Iran from Jan. 1995 to Dec. 2010. The data was analyzed both collectively and separately in two consecutive eight-year periods, i.e. 1995-2003 and 2004-2010.

RESULTS

A total of 286 episodes of IE, 172 males and 114 females, were reviewed from which 162 ones were in the first eight-year time period and 124 episodes in the second one. Mean age of the patients was significantly increased in the second eight-year period (24.2±11 vs 39.4±15 years old, p value = 0.01). Increase in the episodes caused by Staphylococcus aureus was significant (40.7% vs 22.8%, p value = 0.01). The mean size of the vegetation was noticeably higher among IDUs than non-IDUs (1.53±0.1cm vs 0.76±0.2cm, p value < 0.001). As well as extra cardiac complications, mortality rate was noticeably higher among the patients with vegetation size ≥ 1cm (34.4% vs 16.3%, p value = 0.003). There was not a significant difference regarding the mortality rate between the conservatively and surgically treated patients (20.7% vs 22.9%, p value = 0.07).

CONCLUSION

The most important changing characteristic of IE which influences the outcome of the disease seems to be vegetation size which can account for as the outcome predictor.

Infective endocarditis epidemiology over five decades: a systematic review

AIMS

To Assess changes in infective endocarditis (IE) epidemiology over the last 5 decades.

METHODS AND RESULTS

We searched the published literature using PubMed, MEDLINE, and EMBASE from inception until December 2011.

DATA FROM

Einstein Medical Center, Philadelphia, PA were also included. Criteria for inclusion in this systematic review included studies with reported IE microbiology, IE definition, description of population studied, and time frame. Two authors independently extracted data and assessed manuscript quality. One hundred sixty studies (27,083 patients) met inclusion criteria. Among hospital-based studies (n=142; 23,606 patients) staphylococcal IE percentage increased over time, with coagulase-negative staphylococcus (CNS) increasing over each of the last 5 decades (p<0.001) and Staphylococcus aureus (SA) in the last decade (21% to 30%; p<0.05). Streptococcus viridans (SV) and culture negative (CN) IE frequency decreased over time (p<0.001), while enterococcal IE increased in the last decade (p<0.01). Patient age and male predominance increased over time as well. In subgroup analysis, SA frequency increased in North America, but not the rest of the world. This was due, in part, to an increase in intravenous drug abuse IE in North America (p<0.001). Among population-based studies (n=18; 3,477 patients) no significant changes were found.

CONCLUSION

Important changes occurred in IE epidemiology over the last half-century, especially in the last decade. Staphylococcal and enterococcal IE percentage increased while SV and CN IE decreased. Moreover, mean age at diagnosis increased together with male:female ratio. These changes should be considered at the time of decision-making in treatment of and prophylaxis for IE.

Management of infective endocarditis: challenges and perspectives

Despite improvements in medical and surgical therapies, infective endocarditis is associated with poor prognosis and remains a therapeutic challenge. Many factors affect the outcome of this serious disease, including virulence of the microorganism, characteristics of the patients, presence of underlying disease, delays in diagnosis and treatment, surgical indications, and timing of surgery. We review the strengths and limitations of present therapeutic strategies and propose future directions for better management of endocarditis according to the most recent research. Novel perspectives on the management of endocarditis are emerging and offer hope for decreasing the rate of residual deaths by accelerating the process of diagnosis and risk stratification, reducing delays in starting antimicrobial therapy, rapid transfer of high-risk patients to specialised medico-surgical centres, development of new surgical methods, and close long-term follow-up.

Prospective study of infective endocarditis from a developing country

BACKGROUND

There has been a considerable change in the profile of infective endocarditis (IE) worldwide. However, prospective studies of IE from developing countries are rare.

AIM

The aim of this study was to evaluate predisposing factors, clinical presentation, echocardiography, microbiology, in-hospital course, and outcomes of patients with definite IE.

METHODS

This was a prospective observational study of consecutive cases of definite IE as per the modified Duke criteria.

RESULTS

Between 2004 and 2006, a total of 104 cases of definite IE were identified. The mean age was 23.5 years (interquartile range, 9-38 years), with a male preponderance (2.5:1). Congenital heart disease accounted for 39.4% cases of IE, followed by native valve disease (29.8%), prosthetic valve disease (20%), and normal valves (7.7%). Echocardiography was diagnostic in 96.7% of the patients. Positive cultures were obtained in only 41% of the cases, with staphylococci and streptococci being the most common organisms. Seventy-three percent of the cases had at least 1 major complication. Only 15% of the cases underwent surgery for IE. The in-hospital mortality was 26%. On multivariate analysis, an underlying heart disease other than native valve disease and septic shock were independent predictors of mortality.

CONCLUSION

The mean age of IE in India is significantly lower than that in the West. Unlike previous reports, congenital heart disease is the major predisposing factor. Culture positivity rates and surgery for IE are unacceptably low. In conclusion, IE in India is associated with a very high morbidity and mortality.

Barriers to accessing surgical care in Pakistan: healthcare barrier model and quantitative systematic review

Inadequate access to surgical services results in increased morbidity and mortality from a spectrum of conditions in Pakistan. We employed a modification of Andersen's model of health services utilization and developed a 'Healthcare Barrier Model,' to characterize the barriers to accessing health care in developing countries, using surgical care in Pakistan as a case study. We performed a literature search from MEDLINE, EMBASE, CINAHL, SCOPUS, Global Health Database, and Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, and selected 64 of 3113 references for analysis. Patient-related variables included age (elderly), gender (female), preferential use of alternative health providers (Hakeem, traditional healers, others), personal perceptions regarding disease and potential for treatment, poverty, personal expenses for healthcare, lack of social support, geographic constraints to accessing a health facility, and compromised general health status as it relates to the development of surgical disease. Environmental barriers include deficiencies in governance, the burden of displaced or refugee populations, and aspects of the medicolegal system, which impact treatment and referral. Barriers relating to the health system include deficiencies in capacity (infrastructure, physical resources, human resources) and organization, and inadequate monitoring. Provider-related barriers include deficiencies in knowledge and skills (and ongoing educational opportunities), delays in referral, deficient communication, and deficient numbers of female health providers for female patients. The Healthcare Barrier model addresses this broad spectrum of barriers and is designed to help formulate a framework of healthcare barriers. To overcome these barriers will require a multidisciplinary, multisectoral effort aimed at strengthening the health system.