title: [Infectious endocarditis in the elderly].
abstract: Thirty three cases of infectious endocarditis in patients over 65 years of age (mean age: 72,5 years) observed between 1966 and 1982, were analysed; there were 22 male and 11 female patients, a male predominance of 67%. The data was compared with 68 cases of patients aged less than 65 years of age (mean age: 48,4 years; 49 male and 19 female patients, a male predominance of 72%) treated during the same period. In the patients over 65 years old, compared to those under the age of 65, we observed that: the previous condition of the cardiac valves was more commonly unknown (39% compared to 21%), rheumatic valvular disease was rare (12% of cases), the diagnosis was not delayed, the reason for hospital admission was usually a complication (30% compared to 7%), the two cardinal signs (pyrexia and a cardiac murmur) were always present, as in the younger age group, the urinary tract was the only commoner site of primary infection, the blood cultures were as frequently positive in both groups (79% compared to 85%), in cases with negative blood cultures, antibiotics had not always been given beforehand, but this was commoner than in the younger age group, the causal organisms and usual biological changes were unremarkable, echocardiography, often more difficult because of the high incidence of valvular thickening, remained a valuable tool for diagnosis and management, cardiac failure was more common (55% compared to 37%) as were neurological complications (24% compared to 10%) and renal failure, mortality was greater (39% compared to 25%) and higher in both groups in patients with aortic valve disease and infection with staph-aureus.
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D004452:Echocardiography; D004697:Endocarditis, Bacterial / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000209:etiology; D005260:Female; D006349:Heart Valve Diseases / Q000150:complications; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D018805:Sepsis / Q000150:complications
vernacular_title: L'endocardite infectieuse chez les sujets âgés.