title: Bacterial endocarditis. A retrospective study of cases admitted to the University of Alabama Hospitals from 1969 to 1979.
abstract: A retrospective study was conducted at the University of Alabama in Birmingham Medical Center on patients diagnosed as having BE from the years 1969 to 1979, with emphasis on dental involvement. A major finding of this report revealed that 16 percent of the cases of BE had a history of recent dental care or pathology. Other results of this investigation included the following: (1) Streptococcus viridans was the predominant microorganism associated with BE; (2) the mortality rate relative to predisposing heart disease was highest for patients with prosthetic heart valves; (3) chronic valvular heart disease was the heart problem most susceptible to BE; (4) chronically abscessed teeth and periodontal disease may be initiating factors of BE.
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003729:Dental Care; D004697:Endocarditis, Bacterial / Q000209:etiology* / Q000401:mortality; D005260:Female; D006349:Heart Valve Diseases / Q000150:complications; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009059:Mouth Diseases / Q000150:complications*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013290:Streptococcal Infections / Q000150:complications