Cardiac Abscess Research Articles

Echocardiography in Patients With Infective Endocarditis and the Impact of Diagnostic Delays on Clinical Outcomes

Infective endocarditis (IE) is associated with high mortality and morbidity. The aim of this study was to investigate the impact of timing of echocardiography on IE complications. We studied 151 consecutive patients with definite IE. Valve destruction was defined as ≥1 of severe regurgitation, cardiac abscess, or fistula. A definitive echocardiogram was the first echocardiogram (transthoracic (TTE) or Transesophageal (TEE)) which identified pathology consistent with IE and further echocardiography was not required for the diagnosis. TTE and TEE were performed within 4 days of admission in 62% and 15% patients respectively. Definitive echocardiography was achieved with TTE in 60% patients and required additional TEE in 40% patients. Significantly more in-patient embolic events occurred when definitive echocardiography was performed late (≥4 days) compared with early (<4 days) (40% vs 14%, p = 0.043). A significantly greater proportion of patients who underwent late definitive echocardiography (≥4 days) required valve surgery (73% vs 56%, p = 0.04). Time to definitive echocardiography (odds ratio [OR] 1.015, p = 0.011), male gender (OR 1.254, p = 0.005) and age (OR 0.992, p = 0.002) were predictors of severe valve destruction. Late definitive echocardiography (OR 1.166, p=0.035) was a predictor of in-patient embolism. In conclusion, time to definitive echocardiography is an important predictor of valve destruction, embolic events, and subsequent valve surgery. Pathways to reduce delays to echocardiography are required in patients with suspected IE.

Surgical Treatment of Valvular Infective Endocarditis Complicated by An Abscess: A Single Center’s Experience

Objectives: To examine the surgical treatment and mortality rate of valvular infective endocarditis complicated by an abscess in patients at a major tertiary care center. Background: Infective endocarditis (IE) involving a heart valve is fatal if left untreated. The appearance of a comorbid abscess impacts the choice of treatment and surgical technique and, in some instances, may present unique technical challenges. Methods: Departmental data from all patients who underwent surgery for IE at a single major tertiary care center from July 2007 to January 2016 were retrospectively screened for the presence of an intracardiac abscess. Patients with at least one confirmed abscess were examined further with respect to the surgical procedures completed and 30-day mortality rate. Results: Over the almost nine years of data collection, we identified 14 patients (9 males, 5 females) with at least one confirmed cardiac abscess. Patients ranged in age from 28 to 77 years old (mean 57.8 ± 14 years). Various surgical procedures were performed, including aortic or/and mitral valve replacement, mitral or/and tricuspid valve repair, and a freestyle prosthetic valve implant in the pulmonary position. In two patients, surgery was extended to include the ascending aorta; while two patients underwent coronary artery bypass grafting. A patch technique was adopted whenever necessary. Overall, 12 patients survived, while one died from septic shock and another from pneumonia. Conclusions: An abscess is a serious complication of valvular infective endocarditis that can appreciably increase the complexity of surgical intervention. In our experience, however, this seemed not to directly affect the 30-day mortality-rate, with both deaths ascribed to disseminated infection.

0163 : Prosthetic valve endocardites: still a serious complication

Prosthetic valve endocarditis (PVE) is still associated with significant mortality and morbidity despite progress in antibiotic therapy and cardiac surgery. The aim of this study is to describe clinical, characteristics, management and outcome of PVE. We conducteded a retrospective reviews of cases of certain infective endocarditis according to Duckes critera .among 135 patients hospitalized with infective endocarditis from 2004 to December 2014, 21 cases of PVE was found. Mean age of patients was ± 38.5 years (17 –79 years) with sex ratio=1.4. Mitral prosthesis was affected in 14 cases (67%) and aortic prosthesis in 7 cases (33%). Early prosthetic valve endocarditis was noted in 15 cases. Late PVE was observed in 5 patients; Mean interval of occurrencewas 150 days (extremes=8 days-2 year).Blood cultures were negatives in 55%. Staphylococcus aureus was the most common causative organism patients and occureded in 80%. Transthoracic and trans esophageal echocardiography revealed vegetations in all cases with mean size 14.4 mm (5-40 mm). Abscess was observed in 2 cases of aortic PVE. Desinsertion of prosthesis occurred in 6 patients. Mean duration of ant biotherapy was 20 days. Early surgery was indicated in 17 cases (80%). Essential complications consist in heart failure in 60%; stroke in 15% and cardiac abscess in 10cases.Hospital mortality was high estimated to 52.4%. Severals factor were associated to poor prognosis: age, staphylococal infection, early PVE and complicated PVE. PVE accounts for a high percentage of al l cases of infective endocarditis. Staphylococcus aureus is now the leading cause of PVE.High prevalence of negative blood cultures in our population is worring. Hospital mortality of PVE remains high despite prompt diagnosis and the frequent use of surgical intervention. The author hereby declares no conflict of interest

0403 : What's the profil of infective endocarditis in university hospital of Casablanca?

infective endocarditis (IE) is a disease whose incidence has remained stable in recent years with high mortality despite advances made in the treatment. The aim of our retrospective study was to analyze the clinical profile, ultrasound, bacteriological, therapeutic of patients with IE who are hospitalized in the cardiology department of the University Hospital Ibn Rochd of Casablanca. Sixty-two definite IE cases were enrolled in a prospective observational study between January 2012 and October 2015. The average age of our patients was 38 years with a male predominance, the sex ratio was 1.29. 55 (88,7%) involved native valve, 7 patients, or 11,29% presented a prosthetic valve endocarditis, 6 or 9,6% patients showed endocarditis congenital heart disease,.The front door was identified in only 33.8% of cases with a predominance of dental and oral origin. Blood cultures were positive in 25.8% of patients insulating staphylococcus in 11.2%, streptococcus in 4.8%, bacillus and a fungus in 3.2% of cases, a morbillurum Gemella and a Gram-negative cocci in 1.6% for each of them. The transthoracic and / or transesophageal reveals a growing image in 77.4% of cases, cardiac abscess image in 8% cases, mutilation valvular in 9.6% of cases and one case of disinsertion of prosthesis was found among prosthesis wearers. Mitral location of IE was the most common, found in 41.9% of cases followed by the aortic valve in 27.4% of cases. Embolic and hemodynamic complications were observed respectively in 6.4% and 1.6%. The surgery has occurred in 33.8% of patients. Mortality during hospitalization was 9,6%. infective endocarditis continues to pose a diagnostic and therapeutic problem. Its epidemiological profile is remarkably changed in recent years.In our context bacteriological diagnosis is difficult. The indication for surgery is common. The short-term prognosis remains dark with heavy-hospital mortality. The author hereby declares no conflict of interest

ABCES DE INEL AORTIC

Introduction. Cardiac abscess is a severe complication of aortic valve endocarditis. The aortic valve ring is more commonly affected than mitral valve ring. Materials and methods. We report the case of a patient admitted to the cardiology clinic, evaluated, diagnosed and later transferred to the Infectious Disease Clinic for treatment. Results. We present the case of a patient of 72 years old, hospitalized in the cardiology clinic with symptoms and signs of heart failure. After clinical and laboratory data, it was diagnosed infective endocarditis on bicuspid aortic valve and abscess aortic ring evacuated. The patient was transferred to the infectious diseases clinic for antibiotic treatment. Conclusions. It is a complex case with multidisciplinary approach, and aortic ring abscess is a poor prognostic factor.

Red cell distribution width predicts mortality in infective endocarditis

Infective endocarditis (IE) is associated with significant morbidity and mortality. Red cell distribution width (RDW) is a recently recognized biomarker of adverse outcome in a number of acute and chronic conditions. To investigate the relationship between RDW and 1-year survival in patients with IE. Clinical records from two tertiary centres were used to analyze data from patients with definite IE. Clinical, echocardiographic and biochemical variables were evaluated along with RDW. One-year survival status after index hospitalization was identified for each patient. One hundred consecutive patients (mean age 47.8±16.7 years; 61% men) with definite IE were enrolled. According to receiver operating characteristic curve analysis, the optimal RDW cut-off value for predicting mortality was 15.3% (area under the curve 0.70; P=0.001). Forty-one patients (41%) died within 1 year; of these, 88% had RDW results>15.3%. Univariate Cox proportional-hazards analysis showed that RDW>15.3%, heart failure, renal failure, cardiac abscess, severe valvular regurgitation and presence of dehiscence were associated with increased mortality. Multivariable Cox proportional-hazards analysis revealed that renal failure (hazard ratio [HR] 3.21, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.35-7.59; P=0.008), heart failure (HR 2.77, 95% CI 1.1-6.97; P=0.03) and RDW>15.3% (HR 3.07, 95% CI 1.06-8.86; P=0.03) were independent predictors of mortality in patients with IE. According to our results, mortality is high in patients with IE. RDW is a promising biomarker for predicting 1-year survival rates in these patients.

Isolated Aspergillosis Myocardial Abscesses in a Liver-Transplant Patient

Cardiac abscess is an uncommon and fatal complication after transplantation. We report a case of an initially isolated aspergillosis myocardial abscess diagnosed by cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (CMRI). At that time, there was no other biological evidence or other extracardiac manifestations. A three-month course of dual antifungal therapy followed by a single antifungal therapy was empirically given. Six month after admission, Aspergillus fumigatus was isolated for the first time and the patient deceased from a disseminated aspergillosis.

Association of Heart Block with Uncommon Disease States

A variety of diseases, other than the common Lev-Lenègre disease, are associated with cardiac conduction system abnormalities. These include acute processes, such as acute rheumatic fever, and other disorders, such as sarcoidosis, connective tissue disorders, neoplasms, and bacterial endocarditis with cardiac abscess formation. The purpose of the study is to raise awareness of these rare conditions. We present 10 adult patients (4 males and 6 females) with a mean age of 47 years (range: 19-69), with various rare diseases associated with heart block, who needed temporary or permanent pacemaker therapy in the past two decades. These conditions included acute rheumatic carditis, Wegener granulomatosis, cardiac involvement of metastatic breast cancer, bacterial endocarditis, sarcoidosis, S/P chest radiotherapy, and quadriplegia with syringomyelia postspinal cord injury, and adult congenital heart block. We conclude that patients with these disorders should be followed periodically, to allow for early detection and treatment of cardiac conduction disturbances, with pacemaker therapy.

Abstract TP224: Risk Factors for Stroke in Infective Endocarditis

Background: Stroke is a common, serious complication of infective endocarditis (IE). We investigated risk factors for IE-associated cerebrovascular disease. Methods: We retrospectively reviewed data of all inpatients with discharge ICD-9 codes of IE admitted to our tertiary care hospital from 1980-2011. The diagnosis of IE was confirmed using the original Duke Criteria. Stroke was confirmed on CT or MRI. Results: Of 1151 hospitalizations (1083 adults), 277 (24%) included IE-related stroke (76% ischemic, 13% hemorrhagic, 10% both). Stroke patients had mean age 56 yrs, 63% male, 93% ’Definite IE’ per Duke Criteria, and 83% Native Valve infection. Organism types were Staph 40%, Strep 30% and Other 30%. Trans-esophageal echo was performed in 53% and MRI in 57%. The Stroke and Non-Stroke Groups showed no significant difference in age, sex, traditional cardiovascular risk factors (Htn, DM, lipids, AFib etc), and type of infectious organism. Patients with Stroke had a significantly higher frequency of multiple vegetations (20% vs 8%, p&lt;0.001), cardiac abscess (16% vs 10%, p&lt;0.01), cardiac surgery (37% vs 26%, p&lt;0.01), sepsis (24% vs 14%, p&lt;0.01) and DIC (9% vs 2%, p&lt;0.01) and a tended to have higher rates of cardiac rupture (19% v 15%, p=0.08) and lower admission platelet counts (224 vs 249 thousand/cmm, p=0.11). The Ischemic Stroke sub-group showed similar high rates for these variables. Multivariate regression analysis showed IE-related stroke to be significantly predicted by the presence of sepsis (O.R. 3.6, 95%CI 1.8-7.0), congestive heart failure (O.R. 2.1, 95%CI 1.3-3.4), prosthetic valve IE (O.R. 2.3, 95%CI 1.13-4.4), and vegetations in aortic (OR 2.4, 95%CI 1.3-4.3) or mitral (OR 6.6, 95%CI 3.5-12.2) valves. Tricuspid vegetations (OR 0.3, 95%CI 0.1-0.7) and higher platelet counts (OR 0.99, 95%CI 0.99-1.0) had a protective effect. Age, Htn, DM, AFib, multiple vegetations, organism type, antibiotic use, and echo findings of cardiac abscess/rupture, did not predict stroke. Stroke patients had significantly worse outcomes with 22% deaths vs. 9% in non-stroke patients (p&lt;0.001). Conclusion: This large 31-year retrospective study shows that potentially treatable conditions such as CHF and sepsis are associated with a higher rate of IE-related stroke.

What are the differences in outcomes between right-sided active infective endocarditis with and without left-sided infection?

A best evidence topic in cardiac surgery was written according to a structured protocol. The question addressed was: in patients with isolated right-sided infective endocarditis (RSE) is the outcome of surgical management the same as in patients with or without left-sided involvement? Altogether, 419 papers were found using the reported search, six of which represented the best evidence to answer the clinical question. Two studies point towards better outcomes with isolated RSE. In one paper, mortality was significantly lower in isolated RSE patients (P = 0.0093) for the duration of the follow-up time (median 488 patient-years). Two studies reported early mortality (<30 days) for RSE patients at 3.6 and 3.8%, respectively. Combined right- and left-sided endocarditis (RLSE) patients were found to have a poorer pre-operative clinical presentation than isolated RSE patients with a greater requirement for inotropic support (P < 0.006) and the likelihood of an emergency operation (P < 0.001). They had a poorer intra-operative course with a higher incidence of cardiac abscess formation (P < 0.001). One study suggested that there is no significant difference in in-hospital and long-term mortality between intravenous drug abuse (IVDA) patients and non-IVDA patients. Left-heart involvement in the IVDA group was 61.5%. This was in-line with the published literature, demonstrating a rise in RLSE in IVDA compared with non-IVDA patients. Three articles looking at isolated left-sided endocarditis (LSE) gave mortality rates in the surgical group to be 27.1, 27.8 and 38%, respectively. In one study, the LSE mortality was not different for native vs. prosthetic valve infection (OR 0.65, 95% CI 0.23-1.87). After propensity matching and adjusting for hazards, the complication rate in the LSE group was higher and this translated to a higher mortality rate. We conclude from the literature that outcomes are more favourable with lower early and late mortality for isolated RSE patients over pure LSE or combined RLSE.

Toxoplasmosis and Horse Meat, France

Toxoplasmosis and Horse Meat, France

Calcificación caseosa del anillo mitral, un raro hallazgo ecocardiográfico

Caseous calcification of mitral annulus, also known as caseoma, is a rare echocardiographic finding. Because it often presents asymptomatically, the diagnosis is usually incidental. The condition arises due to caseous degeneration in the internal material of the mitral annulus calcification. On echocardiography, the calcification is a round mass with a central echolucent area, typically located at the base of the posterior leaflet, and can be mistaken for cardiac tumors or abscesses. We describe 3 patients with the condition, one of whom required surgical removal of the mass to obtain a definitive diagnosis. Full English text available from: www.revespcardiol.org

Caseous Calcification of the Mitral Annulus, a Rare Echocardiographic Finding

Caseous calcification of mitral annulus, also known as caseoma, is a rare echocardiographic finding. Because it often presents asymptomatically, the diagnosis is usually incidental. The condition arises due to caseous degeneration in the internal material of the mitral annulus calcification. On echocardiography, the calcification is a round mass with a central echolucent area, typically located at the base of the posterior leaflet, and can be mistaken for cardiac tumors or abscesses. We describe 3 patients with the condition, one of whom required surgical removal of the mass to obtain a definitive diagnosis.

Association of Troponin T, Detected With Highly Sensitive Assay, and Outcomes in Infective Endocarditis

Troponin levels have been correlated with adverse outcomes in multiple disease processes, including congestive heart failure, acute coronary syndromes, sepsis, and, in a few small series, infective endocarditis. We hypothesized that a novel measurement of troponin using a highly sensitive assay would correlate with adverse outcomes when prospectively studied in patients with infective endocarditis. At a single center in the International Collaboration on Endocarditis, 42 patients met the inclusion criteria and underwent testing for cardiac troponin T (cTnT) using both a standard and a highly sensitive precommercial assay. The cTnT levels were associated with the prespecified primary composite outcome of death, central nervous system event, and cardiac abscess. Secondary outcomes included the individual components of the composite outcome and the need for cardiac surgery. A receiver operating characteristic curve was derived and used to identify the optimal cutpoint for cTnT using the highly sensitive assay. cTnT was detectable with the highly sensitive assay in 39 (93%) of 42 patients with infective endocarditis and with the standard assay in 25 (56%) of 42 (p <0.05). Of the 42 patients, 15 experienced the composite outcome, 4 died, 9 had a central nervous system event, and 5 had a cardiac abscess. With the hs-cTnT assay, the median cTnT was greater in the patients who experienced the primary outcome (0.12 vs 0.02 ng/ml, p <0.05). According to the receiver operating characteristic curve analysis (area under the curve of 0.74), cTnT levels of ≥0.08 ng/ml produced optimal specificity (78%) for the primary outcome. The patients with a cTnT level of ≥0.08 ng/ml were more likely to experience the primary outcome (odds ratio 7.0, 95% confidence interval 1.7 to 28.6, p <0.01) and a central nervous system event (odds ratio 9.3, 95% confidence interval 1.3 to 24.1, p = 0.02). In conclusion, cTnT is detectable in 93% of patients with infective endocarditis using a novel highly sensitive assay, with higher levels correlating with poor clinical outcomes.

158 Prothetic abcess complicating Infective endocarditis

The cardiac abscess formation is appraised to 20–30% during the infectious endocarditis (IE). It is more frequent during prosthesis endocarditis and it can reach 60%. The prognosis is generally reserved. Objective To determine echocardiographic, bacteriological and evolutive features of prothetic IE complicated of abscess. Retrospective study including 51 patients having certain or probable IE according to Duke criterias between 2002 and 2005. At 9 patients (17,64%) the endocarditis was complicated of prothetic abscess. It was about 6 men and 3 women with a middle age of 39 ± years. IE was la ate IE in 5 cases. Clinical and biological infectious syndrome was constant. Isolated germs were staphylococcus aureus in 2 cases, GRAM négatif Bacillus in 2 cases. Culture negative endocarditis were noted in 5 cases. Brucellosis serology was positive at one patient. Prothetic abcess was diagnosed by transthoracic echocardiography (TTE) at 2 patients and by transesophagal echocardiography (TEE) at all patients. The abcess was localized on the aortic prosthesis at 5 patients, mitral prothesis at 3 patients and mitroaortic prothesis at one patient. TEE identified annular abcess at 2 patients and a myocardial abcess at 1 patient. Secondary septic localizations were noted at 6 patients: 4 cerebral abscesses, 2 splenic localization, a renal localization and an articular localization. High degree atrioventricular blocks were observed at 3 patients. The recourse to the surgery was frequent (7 patient/9 patient). It was an emergent sugery at 2 patients because of a heart failure. For the others, the indication for surgery was medical failure treatment at a mean delay of 19 days. The evolution was fatal at 5 patients. and the evolution was favorable at the others. Prothetic endocarditis complicated of abscess are serious requiring frequently a prothetic replacement, a very high risked surgery. TEE must be systematic at all patients carrier of prosthesis if they have infectious syndrome in order to carry the early diagnosis of IE and to avoid abcess formation.

Long-term outcome of Q fever endocarditis: a 26-year personal survey

Q fever endocarditis caused by Coxiella burnetii is a potentially fatal disease characterised by a chronic evolution. To assess the long-term outcome and identify prognostic factors for mortality, surgical treatment, and serological changes in Q fever endocarditis, we did a retrospective study in the French National Referral Centre. Patients included were diagnosed with Q fever endocarditis at our centre from May, 1983, to June, 2006, and followed up for a minimum of 3 years for each patient, history and clinical characteristics were recorded with a standardised questionnaire. Prognostic factors associated with death, surgery, serological cure, and serological relapse were assessed by Cox regression analysis. Excised heart valve analysis was assessed according to duration of treatment. 104 patients were identified for inclusion in the study, although one was lost to follow-up; median follow-up was 100 months (range 37-310 months). 18 months of treatment was sufficient to sterilise the valves of all the patients except three, and 2 years of treatment sterilised all valves except one. In a multivariate Cox regression analysis, the major determinants associated with mortality were age (hazard ratio 1.11, 95% CI 1.05-1.18, p=0.003), stroke at diagnosis (7.09, 2.00-25.10, p=0.001), endocarditis on a prosthetic valve (6.04, 1.47-24.80, p=0.044), an absence of a four-times decrease of phase I IgG and IgA at 1 year (5.69, 1.00-32.22, p=0.049), or the presence of phase II IgM at 1 year (12.08, 3.11-46.85, p=0.005). Surgery was associated with heart failure (2.68, 1.21-5.94, p=0.015) or a cardiac abscess (4.71, 1.64-13.50, p=0.004). The determinants of poor serological outcome were male sex (0.47, 0.26-0.86, p=0.014), a high level of phase I IgG (0.65, 0.45-0.95, p=0.027), and a delay in the start of treatment with hydroxychloroquine (0.20, 0.04-0.91, p=0.037). Factors associated with relapse were endocarditis on a prosthetic valve (21.3, 2.05-221.86, p=0.01) or treatment duration less than 18 months (9.69, 1.08-86.72, p=0.042). The optimum duration of treatment with doxycycline and hydroxychloroquine in Q fever endocarditis is 18 months for native valves and 24 months for prosthetic valves. This duration should be extended only in the absence of favourable serological outcomes. Patients should be serologically monitored for at least 5 years because of the risk of relapse. French National Referral Centre for Q Fever.

Actualización sobre endocarditis infecciosa en válvula protésica

Prosthetic valve endocarditis is still a matter of controversy especially the type of treatment that should be chosen for an individual patient. Since the current knowledge of this patology is based mainly on the literature and in its many and varied exponents (clinical experience, sistematic review, practice guideslines of cardiology associations, observational studies, etc), it is necessary to update the information continuously This review is focused mainly in the incidence, etiology diagnostics and treatment of prosthetic endocarditis. The principal microroganisms related to this patology are Staphylococcus aureus and coagulase-negative Staphyloccoco. Risk factors were identified for witch surgery is mandatory, such us Staphylococcus aureus infection and a complicated prosthetic valve endocarditis (cardiac failure, conduction abnormalities, abscess formation and recurrent embolism). With this information, patients that could have a medical treatment option can be recognized, as well as those who will require surgery. In order to present in a better way our conclusions, easily reading diagrams were included to facilitate the decision process when facing up a prosthetic valve endocarditis.

011 INFECTIVE ENDOCARDITIS AT A TERTIARY CARE CENTRE IN LEBANON: CONTINUED PREDOMINANCE OF STREPTOCOCCAL INFECTION

Total 198 episodes of Duke “definite” infective endocarditis (IE) in 192 patients observed over last 10 years were studied [141 males and 51 females, mean age 27.6±12.7 years (range 4–68 years)]. Majorities of patients (76.5%) were below 40 years of age. Rheumatic heart disease (RHD) was the commonest underlying heart disease (present in 46.9% patients). Probable source of infection could be identified in only 16.6% episodes. None of our patient was intravenous drug abuser. Fever (90.0%), anemia (81.0%), clubbing (58.1%), splenomegaly (60.6%), changing/new murmur (22.7%) were the common clinical findings. Vegetations were present in 89.9% episodes. Blood cultures were positive in 134 (67.7%) episodes (streptococci in 23.2%, staphylococci in 19.7%, gram negative in 13.6%, enterococci in 8.1%, polymicrobial and fungal in 1.5% episodes each). Complications were cardiovascular [congestive heart failure (CHF) in 41.9%, atrioventricular block in 1.5%, cardiac temponade and acute myocardial infarction in 0.5% each), neurological in 16.6%, renal in 13.1% and embolisms in total 21.7% episodes. Total 182 (91.9%) episodes in 176 patients were managed completely [(medical in 140 (76.9%) and surgical in 42 (23.1%) episodes] while patients in remaining 16 (8.1%) episodes left against medical advises before completion of therapy. Total 21% patients (37 out of 176 completely treated patients) died during therapy (cause of deaths; CHF in 11, septicemia in 10, cerebral embolism in 7, post cardiac surgery in 5, ruptured cerebral mycotic aneurysm in 2, ventricular tachycardia in 2 patients). On stepwise logistic regression analysis; cardiac abscess and CHF were independent predictors of cardiac surgery. Similarly, CHF, renal failure and prosthetic valve dysfunction were independent predictors of mortality. To conclude, spectrum of IE in our country is different from the west, but quite similar as reported from developed countries about 40 years ago. IE in our country occurs in relatively younger population with RHD as the commonest underlying heart disease. Streptococci are still the commonest responsible microorganisms. Morbidity and mortality are still high. Early cardiac surgery, whenever indicated, helps in improving outcome of these patients.

104 SURGERY OF INFECTIVE ENDOCARDITIS IN PATIENTS WITH LIVER CIRRHOSIS: A DIFFICULT DECISION-MAKING PROCESS

IE and 1,110 cases of IE due to other pathogens (non-SA NVIE). Twogroup comparisons and adjusted survival analysis were performed. Results: Compared to non-SA NVIE, SA NVIE occurred more frequently in older subjects (p = 0.01). It was less often community-acquired (p < 10 4), more frequently diagnosed within the first month of symptoms onset (p < 10 4) and associated with comorbidities (p < 10 4). SA NVIE was more often complicated with stroke (p = 0.0009) and emboli (p = 0.008). By contrast the frequencies of cardiac failure and intracardiac abscess were the same in the two groups. EVS and 60day in-hospital mortality rate were lower (34.2% vs. 50.1%, p < 10 4) and higher (26.5% vs. 11.9%, p < 10 4), respectively. In multivariate analysis, when compared to non-SA NVIE: (1) the probability of EVS was significantly lower in SA NVIE (HR 0.66, 95 CI 0.54 0.80, p < 0.0001); (2) the probability of in-hospital death was significantly higher (HR 1.68, 95 CI 1.28 2.22, p < 0.0001), which was true both in operated and non-operated patients. Conclusion: This study confirms that SA NVIE is associated with higher rates of comorbidities and mortality. It is also associated with a lower rate of EVS, which is neither explained by a higher frequency of comorbidities/complications that would contraindicate surgery nor by a lower frequency of conditions that would require surgery.

Infective endocarditis due to Propionibacterium species

Propionibacterium species rarely cause infective endocarditis. When identified in blood cultures, they may be inappropriately disregarded as skin flora contaminants. The purpose of this study was to characterize the clinical presentation and management of endocarditis due to Propionibacterium species. All cases of endocarditis due to Propionibacterium species that were treated at the Mayo Clinic, Rochester, USA were retrospectively reviewed, and the English language medical literature was searched for all previously published reports. Seventy cases, which included eight from the Mayo Clinic, were identified (clinical details were available for only 58 cases). The median age of patients was 52 years, and 90% were males. In 79% of the cases, the infection involved prosthetic material (39 prosthetic valves, one left ventricular Teflon patch, one mitral valve ring, one pulmonary artery prosthetic graft, three pacemakers, and one defibrillator). Blood cultures were positive in 62% of cases. All 22 cases with negative blood cultures were microbiologically confirmed by either positive valve tissue cultures (n = 21) or molecular methods (n = 1). Endocarditis was complicated by abscess formation in 36% of cases. The majority (81%) of patients underwent surgery, either for valve replacement and debridement of a cardiac abscess, or removal of an infected device. Crude in-hospital mortality was 16%. The median duration of postoperative antibiotic treatment was 42 days. Patients were commonly treated with a penicillin derivative alone or in combination with gentamicin. On the basis of the above data, it is recommended that infective endocarditis should be strongly suspected when Propionibacterium species are isolated from multiple blood cultures, particularly in the presence of a cardiovascular device.