title: Infective endocarditis 1973-1984 at the Bergen University Hospital: clinical feature, treatment and prognosis.
abstract: During the period 1973-1984, 72 patients with infective endocarditis (IE) were hospitalized in the medical department, Bergen University Hospital. The male/female ratio was 1.25/1, the mean age 55.3 years. 35 infections were caused by streptococci, 18 by staphylococci, 6 by other microorganisms and in 13 cases no causal organism was found. Only 13 patients had rheumatic heart disease. The overall mortality was 35%, and the mean age of the patients who died was 65 years. The case fatality rates for staphylococcal and streptococcal endocarditis were 61 and 24% respectively. In the period 1973-1978 the case fatality rate was 50% compared to 26% during 1979-1984. The proportion of patients with culture-negative endocarditis was reduced from 31 to 11% from the first to the second half of the study and the percentage of patients who received antibiotics before diagnosis decreased from 81 to 58%. Valve replacement was performed in 4 patients with staphylococcal and 15 with streptococcal infections. Seven cases (mean age 73.4 years) were diagnosed at necropsy; 3 with staphylococcal infections. With increased clinical awareness of IE, liberal use of blood cultures, better diagnostic tools and earlier surgical intervention, especially in staphylococcal infections, a further reduction in mortality should be possible.
authors.affiliation: Medical Department B, Bergen University Hospital, Norway.
authors.forename: E A
authors.initials: EA
authors.lastname: Lien
authors.forename: C O
authors.initials: CO
authors.lastname: Solberg
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kalager
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001021:Aortic Valve / Q000601:surgery; D004697:Endocarditis, Bacterial / Q000209:etiology* / Q000401:mortality / Q000628:therapy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009664:Norway; D011379:Prognosis; D012214:Rheumatic Heart Disease / Q000453:epidemiology; D013203:Staphylococcal Infections / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000401:mortality; D013290:Streptococcal Infections / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000401:mortality; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents