Infectious endocarditis. A retrospective analysis of 34 cases
Strate, M.; Nielsen, J.S.
Ugeskrift for Laeger 149(45): 3031-3033
1987
ISSN/ISBN: 0041-5782 PMID: 3433500 Document Number: 294474
Thirty-four cases of clinical diagnosed left-sided endocarditis in 30 patients admitted during a 10 year period were reviewed. There were no drug abusers among the patients. Fourteen patients had pre-existing heart disease and three had prosthetic valves. Streptococci accounted for 19 cases and staphylococci for ten cases. In five cases, no pathogens were isolated and the diagnosis was verified by autopsy or histopathological findings of excised valves. Two episodes of relapse, five episodes of cerebral emboli, one with fatal outcome, were observed. Two patients were readmitted 12 and 19 months after the first episode with a new episode. None of these second episodes were fatal. In four patients valve-replacement was performed during the acute phase, four further patients underwent valve-replacement as a consequence of endocarditis within 24 months. Three cases of prosthetic valve-endocarditis were fatal, among 27 patients with native endocarditis four died in congestive heart-failure within 46 days of admission.