title: Invited commentary.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, Hospital Clinico-Institut d'Investigacions Biomèdiques, August Pi i Sunyer, University of Barcelona, Villarroel 170, 08036 Barcelona, Spain. cmestres@clinic.ub.es
authors.forename: Carlos-A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Mestres
authors.forename: José M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Miró
mesh_terms: D006348:Cardiac Surgical Procedures / Q000379:methods / Q000401:mortality*; D002423:Cause of Death; D004696:Endocarditis / Q000382:microbiology / Q000401:mortality* / Q000601:surgery*; D005260:Female; D017052:Hospital Mortality / Q000639:trends; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011379:Prognosis; D018570:Risk Assessment; D016019:Survival Analysis; D013997:Time Factors