title: Unfavourable prognostic factors in Staphylococcus aureus septicemia and endocarditis.
abstract: Factors predictive of a fatal outcome were retrospectively studied in 248 patients admitted with Staphylococcus aureus septicemia during 1965-1982, 78 of whom had endocarditis. 77 patients were intravenous drug addicts and 47 of them had endocarditis. 48 patients (19.4%) died. The fatality rate in addicts and non-addicts from septicemia was 0% and 17.9% and from endocarditis 8.5% and 61.3%, respectively. After analyzing clinical and laboratory data available early in the course of the disease 4 risk factors were found both in septicemia and endocarditis: age greater than or equal to 60 yr, pre-existing cardiovascular disease, prior hospitalization within 30 days of onset of illness, and neurological symptoms and/or signs. In addition, in endocarditis a platelet count before therapy less than 100 X 10(9)/l and left-sided involvement were unfavourable prognostic factors.
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002648:Child; D004697:Endocarditis, Bacterial / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000401:mortality* / Q000628:therapy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011379:Prognosis; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D018805:Sepsis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000401:mortality* / Q000628:therapy; D013203:Staphylococcal Infections / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000401:mortality* / Q000628:therapy; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders; D013548:Sweden