Endocarditis in Greenland with special reference to endocarditis caused by Streptococcus pneumoniae.
OBJECTIVE
The aim of this retrospective study was to determine the incidence and outcome of infectious endocarditis in Greenland with an emphasis on pneumococcal endocarditis.


METHODS
Retrospective, non-interventional study.


METHODS
Review of files and medical history of all patients with infectious endocarditis from the Patient Registry in Greenland in the 11-year period 1995-2005.


RESULTS
There were 25 cases of endocarditis, giving an incidence rate of 4.0/100,000 per year. Twenty-four percent of these cases were caused by Streptoccous pneumonia, which is significantly more frequent than in studies on Caucasian populations, where pneumococcal infection was seen in 1-3% of endocarditis cases. The overall mortality rate was 12%. Pneumococcal endocarditis (PE) had the clinical characteristics of fulminant disease with frequent heart failure, complications and need for surgery. Among cases with PE, 67% needed acute valve replacement and the mortality rate was 33%.


CONCLUSIONS
The high incidence rate, clinical characteristics and grave prognosis of PE are consistent with another study of an Inuit population in Alaska.
Madsen
Rasmus Gaarde
RG
Medical Department, Queen Ingrid's Hospital, Nuuk, 3900 Greenland, Denmark. rasmusgaarde@gmail.com
Ladefoged
Karin
K
Kjaergaard
Jens Jørgen
JJ
Andersen
Peter Stemann
PS
Clemmesen
Christopher
C
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D004697:Endocarditis, Bacterial / Q000208:ethnology / Q000401:mortality*; D005260:Female; D006116:Greenland / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D004930:Inuit; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011008:Pneumococcal Infections / Q000208:ethnology / Q000401:mortality*; D012189:Retrospective Studies