Native valve infective endocarditis due to ampicillin-resistant Escherichia coli in the postoperative period of a right radical nephrectomy due to xanthogranulomatous pyelonephritis

Infective endocarditis (IE) due to Escherichia coli is a rare disease, although increasingly frequent. Persistent fever in septic patients despite adequate treatment raises the need to consider IE as a differential diagnosis. We present the case of a 36-year-old male patient who underwent a radical right nephrectomy as a result of diagnosis of xanthogranulomatous pyelonephritis, presenting in the postoperative period a state of septic shock with persistent fever of 41°C. Given the finding of a new-onset murmur, he was diagnosed with a mitroaortic IE by means of a transesophageal echocardiogram (TEE), having to undergo cardiac surgery for valve replacement. After multiple postoperative complications, he is successfully discharged.

[Mortality predictive factors in patients with urinary sepsis associated to upper urinary tract calculi]

PURPOSE

The aims of this study were to determine the clinical characteristics of patients with urinary sepsis associated to ureteral calculi admitted to the Intensive Care Unit (ICU), and to identify predictors of mortality in the first 24 hours of admission.

DESIGN

A retrospective observational study covering a 16-year period (2006-2011) was carried out.

SETTING

The combined clinical/surgical ICU of a secondary-level University hospital.

PATIENTS

All patients admitted to the ICU due to obstructive urinary sepsis.

INTERVENTIONS

None.

MAIN VARIABLES

We analyzed general clinical and laboratory test and urological data. The diagnostic technique, affected side, decompression technique, isolated microorganism and antibiotic therapy used were also considered. The assessment of risk factors was performed by multiple logistic regression analysis.

RESULTS

A total of 107 patients admitted to the ICU were included in the study, with a mortality rate of 19.6%. The diagnosis was mainly established by ultrasound, and the most commonly used decompression technique was retrograde JJ stenting. Microorganisms were isolated in 48.6% of the patients. In total, 20.6% of the patients had bacteremia. Multivariate analysis found age, acute renal failure and the use of vasoactive drugs administered continuously for the first 24 hours of admission to be independently associated to mortality.

CONCLUSIONS

Advanced age, acute renal failure and the need for vasoactive drugs were associated to an increased risk of mortality in patients with urinary sepsis associated to upper urinary tract calculi.