title: Clinical and echocardiographic observations in pulmonary valve endocarditis.
abstract: Clinical and echocardiographic data from 12 patients with pulmonary valve endocarditis are described. Seven patients had isolated pulmonary endocarditis and in 5 patients other valves were infected (aortic, tricuspid, mitral or all 3). Two patients were heroin addicts and 4 had underlying heart disease (congenital heart disease in 3 and aortic regurgitation in 1 patient). The organisms involved were alpha streptococci in 3 patients (all with underlying heart disease), Staphylococcus aureus in 4, Streptococcus D bovis in 1 patient and Candida guillermondii in 1. M-mode and 2-dimensional echocardiography was performed in 10 patients and revealed vegetations in 8. Pulsed Doppler echocardiography was performed in 6 patients and revealed pulmonary regurgitation in all 6. Seven patients had pulmonary emboli. Four patients underwent surgery. Four patients died, including 1 after cardiac surgery. Five patients, including the patient infected with Candida guillermondii, recovered with antibiotic treatment.
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D004452:Echocardiography / Q000379:methods; D004697:Endocarditis, Bacterial / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000382:microbiology / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011664:Pulmonary Valve