title: Staphylococcus aureus endocarditis in Danish intravenous drug users: high proportion of left-sided endocarditis.
abstract: In a retrospective study covering the years 1982-1989 episodes of Staphylococcus aureus endocarditis in 51 intravenous drug users were studied. Tricuspid involvement dominated (34/51), but the frequency of left-sided involvement (33.3%) was greater than in earlier reports. Involvement of both sides of the heart was not detected, but 27.8% of the left-sided endocarditis cases had multiple pulmonary infiltrates, indicating that some of them might have had a concomitant right-sided endocarditis. The 2 groups were compared: patients with left-sided endocarditis were significantly older and with a longer time of intravenous drug use. The complication rate was the same (44.1%) as was the duration of antibiotic treatment (median 42 days). In total, five patients underwent surgery, two (5.8%) due to right-sided failure and three (29.4%) because of left-sided endocarditis. The mortality of tricuspid endocarditis was low (2.9%), whereas 5 patients (29.4%) with left-sided involvement died. The patients who died were significantly older and had a shorter duration of symptoms before hospitalization.
authors.affiliation: Staphylococcus Laboratory, Statens Seruminstitut, Copenhagen, Denmark.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Faber
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Frimodt-Møller
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Espersen
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Skinhøj
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Rosdahl
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001021:Aortic Valve; D003718:Denmark; D004697:Endocarditis, Bacterial / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000209:etiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008943:Mitral Valve; D011379:Prognosis; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013203:Staphylococcal Infections / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000209:etiology*; D015819:Substance Abuse, Intravenous / Q000150:complications*; D014261:Tricuspid Valve
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents