[Infectious endocarditis in drug addicts: a study of 71 cases].
Infective endocarditis (IE) is a severe and relatively common condition in parenteral drug abusers (PDA). Seventy-one IE episodes in 59 PDAs admitted to the Hospital General Vall d'Hebron from August 1978 to December 1988 were evaluated. The disease basically involved young males, with a progressively increasing incidence throughout the decade and a higher frequency during August. Fever was a constant symptom, with a duration of less than 10 days before admission in 73% of cases. Staphylococcus aureus was the most common pathogen (85% of episodes). Vegetations were detected by echocardiography in 70% of cases. In 82% of episodes the right side of the heart was involved, particularly the tricuspid valve. The initial chest X-ray film was abnormal in 57.5% of episodes. In 7 patients features of heart failure were present at admission; most had left heart endocarditis. Three patients with left heart endocarditis required surgical therapy. Overall mortality was 13%; it was 6% in patients with only tricuspid involvement and 27% when the left heart was involved.
Ribera
E
E
Servicio de Medicina Interna, Hospital Vall d'Hebron, Universidad Autónoma, Barcelona.
Martínez-Costa
X
X
Tornos
P
P
Gómez-Jiménez
J
J
Planes
A
A
Pahissa
A
A
Martínez-Vázquez
J M
JM
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D004697:Endocarditis, Bacterial / Q000453:epidemiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D012621:Seasons; D012737:Sex Factors; D013030:Spain; D013203:Staphylococcal Infections / Q000453:epidemiology*; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000150:complications*
Endocarditis infecciosa en drogadictos: estudio de 71 casos.