Prognostic implication of detecting vegetations by M-mode echocardiography.
The prognostic significance of finding vegetations by M-mode echocardiography in patients with infective endocarditis remains controversial because many such patients are referred for early surgery. We detected vegetations in 7 of 25 consecutive subjects with active infective endocarditis (28.1%) studied by M-mode echocardiography. 11 patients died within 1 year and only 1 underwent surgery. Patients with vegetations had a higher likelihood of developing serious complications such as death, congestive heart failure or "severe congestive heart failure' when compared with patients without vegetation. This study validates previously reported series including a high percentage of patients "requiring surgery' and points to the serious prognostic implication of finding a vegetation by M-mode echocardiography.
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D004452:Echocardiography; D004697:Endocarditis, Bacterial / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis*; D005260:Female; D006349:Heart Valve Diseases / Q000150:complications; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011379:Prognosis