title: Infective endocarditis and complications; a single center experience.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim was to investigate the microbiological characteristics and complications of infective endocarditis (IE) in 119 patients treated in our center for IE, diagnosed by modified Duke criteria.
  
  
  METHODS
  The archive records of 119 patients (82 [69%] males; 37 [31%] females; mean age 39 ± 16 years) with a definite diagnosis of IE between January 1997 and November 2004 were systematically reviewed for clinical and microbiological properties and complications.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The most common complaint of the patients was fever and malaise (102 patients, 85.7%, each). Culture was negative in 68 patients (57.1%), while Staphylococcus aureus was the most common etiological agent in culture positive cases. The aortic valve was the most common region of vegetation (43 patients, 36.1%). The frequency of surgical operation for valvular insufficiency due to IE was 75.6%, and the frequency of congestive heart failure was 53.8% (64 patients).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  IE is still an important disease considering its high morbidity and mortality rates, increased life expectancy of the patients, and increased number of valve replacement procedures.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, Yeditepe University Faculty of Medicine, İstanbul, Turkey.
authors.forename: Olcay
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Ozveren
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Yeditepe University Faculty of Medicine, İstanbul, Turkey.
authors.forename: Mehmet Akif
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Oztürk
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, Kosuyolu Training and Research Hospital, İstanbul, Turkey.
authors.forename: Cihan
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Sengül
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, Kosuyolu Training and Research Hospital, İstanbul, Turkey.
authors.forename: Ruken Bengi
authors.initials: RB
authors.lastname: Bakal
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, Kosuyolu Training and Research Hospital, İstanbul, Turkey.
authors.forename: Taylan
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Akgün
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, Kosuyolu Training and Research Hospital, İstanbul, Turkey.
authors.forename: Cemil
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Izgi
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, Yeditepe University Faculty of Medicine, İstanbul, Turkey.
authors.forename: Zekeriya
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Küçükdurmaz
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, Yeditepe University Faculty of Medicine, İstanbul, Turkey.
authors.forename: Atiye Elif
authors.initials: AE
authors.lastname: Eroğlu Büyüköner
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, Yeditepe University Faculty of Medicine, İstanbul, Turkey.
authors.forename: Muzaffer
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Değertekin
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001021:Aortic Valve / Q000382:microbiology; D004697:Endocarditis, Bacterial / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000382:microbiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008943:Mitral Valve / Q000382:microbiology; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013203:Staphylococcal Infections / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000382:microbiology; D013211:Staphylococcus aureus / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D014421:Turkey / Q000453:epidemiology