title: Is the clinical spectrum and prognosis of native valve infective endocarditis in non-addicts changing?
abstract: One hundred and ninety-four episodes of endocarditis on native valves in non-addict patients were diagnosed from 1975 to 1992 and were divided into groups A (78 patients, 1975-1983) and B (116 patients 1984-1992). Both groups had the same gender distribution, similar valvular involvement and microbiological characteristics. In group B patients, median age was older (46 vs 54 years, P = 0.0002), the number of patients without previous heart disease was higher (46% vs 22%, P = 0.02) and the median time of symptoms before diagnosis was shorter (30 vs 50 days, P = 0.038). Both groups had similar incidence of heart failure (32% vs 36%), surgical treatment (30% vs 33%) and embolic episodes (26% vs 34%). Surgical mortality decreased from 43% to 18% (P = 0.03). Overall mortality decreased non-significantly from 19% in group A to 12% in group B. Predictors of death in group A were heart failure (odds ratio 9.6, 95% confidence interval 3-36) and surgical treatment (odds ratio 5, 95% confidence interval 1.3-19). Predictors of death in group B were age (odds ratio 4.98, 95% confidence interval 1.4-19), female sex (odds ratio 5.3, 95% confidence interval 1.3-20), staphylococcal infection (odds ratio 4.9, 95% confidence interval 1.1-22) and heart failure (odds ratio 5.2, 95% confidence interval 1.3-20). Although in recent years infective endocarditis occurs in older patients and is more common in patients with previously unknown heart disease a substantial change in major clinical and prognostic variables is not apparent in our population. Overall in-hospital mortality has decreased from 19% to 12% mainly due to better surgical results.
authors.affiliation: Servicio de Cardiología, Hospital General Universitario Vall d'Hebron, Barcelona, Spain.
authors.forename: M P
authors.initials: MP
authors.lastname: Tornos
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Olona
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Permanyer-Miralda
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Almirante
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Evangelista
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Soler-Soler
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002303:Cardiac Output, Low / Q000209:etiology; D002648:Child; D004697:Endocarditis, Bacterial / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000601:surgery; D005260:Female; D017052:Hospital Mortality; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011379:Prognosis; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012737:Sex Factors; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders; D016019:Survival Analysis