title: Infective endocarditis in patients with human immunodeficiency virus infection.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine the clinical features, sites of involvement, bacteriological findings, and outcome of infective endocarditis (IE) in patients with HIV infection.
  
  
  METHODS
  All patients with diagnosis of IE admitted to 54 infectious disease centres in Italy over a 15-year period (1984-1999) were reviewed, and 895 cases fulfilled the Duke criteria for definite diagnosis of IE. Data were collected with regard to the clinical, laboratory, and demographic characteristics of patients, as well as results of blood cultures and data on clinical outcome.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There were 108 episodes of IE in 105 HIV-infected patients. The mean age of patients was 30.1 years, and the commonest predisposing condition was intravenous drug use (94.3%). Staphylococci were the predominant organisms (60.2%), and the tricuspid valve was the most frequently involved site of infection (51.9%). Left-sided heart involvement (45.4%) and multivalvular involvement (17.6%) were also frequently observed. The greater frequency of S. aureus affecting the tricuspid valve vs. other valves was statistically significant (P<0.001). Six patients (5.9%) underwent surgery, and one (16.7%) of them died. Ninety-five (94.1%) patients were treated medically, and 17 (17.9%) of them died. Overall mortality rate was 17.8%. Any left-sided heart involvement was predictive of an increased risk of death if compared with any right-sided heart involvement (P< 0.004). The mortality rate among HIV-infected patients was higher in those with CD4 cell counts below 200/mm(3).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  IE in HIV-infected patients, for the most part intravenous drug users, is more commonly localized to the right side of the heart; however, mixed or left-side valvular infections are frequent. Severe immunosuppression and left-side valvular involvement are associated with a greater risk for mortality.
authors.affiliation: Department of Infectious and Tropical Diseases, University La Sapienza of Rome, Viale del Policlinico 155, 00161 Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Cicalini
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Forcina
authors.forename: F G
authors.initials: FG
authors.lastname: De Rosa
mesh_terms: D017088:AIDS-Related Opportunistic Infections / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000382:microbiology*; D000328:Adult; D018791:CD4 Lymphocyte Count; D002176:Candida albicans / Q000302:isolation & purification; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D004696:Endocarditis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000382:microbiology; D004697:Endocarditis, Bacterial / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000382:microbiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016867:Immunocompromised Host; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011379:Prognosis; D012307:Risk Factors; D013211:Staphylococcus aureus / Q000302:isolation & purification; D013291:Streptococcus / Q000302:isolation & purification