Left-sided Infective Endocarditis Research Articles

Clinical characteristics and risk factors for right-sided infective endocarditis in Korea: a 12-year retrospective cohort study

Right-sided infective endocarditis (RSIE) is less common than left-sided infective endocarditis (LSIE) and exhibits distinct epidemiological, clinical, and microbiological characteristics. Previous studies have focused primarily on RSIE in patients with intravenous drug use. We investigated the characteristics and risk factors for RSIE in an area where intravenous drug use is uncommon. A retrospective cohort study was conducted at a tertiary hospital in South Korea. Patients diagnosed with infective endocarditis between November 2005 and August 2017 were categorized into LSIE and RSIE groups. Of the 406 patients, 365 (89.9%) had LSIE and 41 (10.1%) had RSIE. The mortality rates were 31.7% in the RSIE group and 31.5% in the LSIE group (P = 0.860). Patients with RSIE had a higher prevalence of infection with Staphylococcus aureus (29.3% vs. 13.7%, P = 0.016), coagulase-negative staphylococci (17.1% vs. 6.0%, P = 0.022), and gram-negative bacilli other than HACEK (12.2% vs. 2.2%, P = 0.003). Younger age (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] 0.97, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.95–0.99, P = 0.006), implanted cardiac devices (aOR 37.75, 95% CI 11.63–141.64, P ≤ 0.001), and central venous catheterization (aOR 4.25, 95% CI 1.14–15.55, P = 0.029) were independent risk factors for RSIE. Treatment strategies that consider the epidemiologic and microbiologic characteristics of RSIE are warranted.

Association Between Vegetation Size And Outcome In The POET Trial.

Step-down oral antibiotic therapy is associated with a non-inferior long-term outcome compared to continued intravenous antibiotic therapy in the treatment of left-sided infective endocarditis (IE). We aimed to analyze whether step-down oral therapy compared to continued intravenous antibiotic therapy is also associated with a non-inferior outcome in patients with large vegetations (vegetation length ≥ 10 mm) or among patients undergoing surgery before step-down oral therapy. We included patients without presence of aortic root abscess at diagnosis from the POET study. Multivariable Cox regression analyses were used to find associations between large vegetation, cardiac surgery, step-down oral therapy and the primary endpoint (composite of all-cause mortality, unplanned cardiac surgery, embolic event or relapse of positive blood cultures during follow-up). A total of 368 patients (age 68±12, 77% men) were included. Patients with large vegetations (n = 124) were more likely to undergo surgery compared to patients with small vegetations (n=244) (65% vs 20%, p<0.001). During a median 1406 days of follow-up, 146 patients reached the primary endpoint. Large vegetations were not associated with the primary endpoint (HR 0.74 [95% CI 0.47-1.18], p=0.21). Step-down oral therapy was non-inferior to continued intravenous antibiotic in all subgroups when stratified by the presence of a large vegetation at baseline and early cardiac surgery. Step-down oral therapy safe in the presence of a large vegetation at diagnosis and among patients undergoing early cardiac surgery.

Splenic Embolism in Infective Endocarditis: A Systematic Review of the Literature with an Emphasis on Radiological and Histopathological Diagnoses.

Infective endocarditis (IE) is characterised by fever, heart murmurs, and emboli. Splenic emboli are frequent in left-sided IE. A systematic review of the literature published on splenic embolism (SE) between 2000 and 2023 was conducted. Search strategies in electronic databases identified 2751 studies published between 1 January 2000 and 4 October 2023, of which 29 were finally included. The results showed that the imaging tests predominantly used to detect embolisms were computed tomography (CT), magnetic resonance imaging, positron emission tomography (PET)/CT, single-photon emission computed tomography/CT, ultrasound, and contrast-enhanced ultrasound. More recent studies typically used 18F-FDG PET-CT. The proportion of SE ranged from 1.4% to 71.7%. Only seven studies performed systematic conventional CT screening for intra-abdominal emboli, and the weighted mean frequency of SE was 22% (range: 8-34.8%). 18F-FDG PET-CT was performed systematically in seven studies, and splenic uptake was found in a weighted mean of 4.5%. There was a lack of uniformity in the published literature regarding the frequency and management of splenic embolisation. CT scans were the most frequently used method, until recently, when 18F-FDG PET-CT scans began to predominate. More data are necessary regarding the frequency of SE, especially focusing on their impact on IE management and prognosis.

Characteristics associated with occurrence of stroke in patients with infective endocarditis - a retrospective cohort study.

Stroke is a severe complication of infective endocarditis (IE), associated with high rates of mortality. Data on how IE patients with and without stroke differ may help to improve understanding contributing mechanisms. All patients treated for IE between 2019 and 2021 with and without associated stroke were identified from the medical records of three academic tertiary care hospitals in Germany, all part of Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Germany. Multivariable logistic regression analyses were performed to identify variables associated with the occurrence of stroke. The study population consisted of 353 patients diagnosed with IE. Concomitant stroke occurred in 96/353 (27.2%) patients. Acute stroke was independently associated with co-occurring extracerebral arterial embolism [adjusted Odds ratio (aOR = 2.52; 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.35-4.71)], acute liver failure (aOR = 2.62; 95% CI 1.06-6.50), dental focus of infection (aOR = 3.14; 95% CI 1.21-8.12) and left-sided IE (aOR = 28.26; 95% CI 3.59-222.19). Stroke was found less often in IE patients with congenital heart disease (aOR = 0.20; 95% CI 0.04-0.99) and atypical pathogens isolated from blood culture (aOR = 0.31; 95% CI 0.14-0.72). Stroke is more likely to occur in individuals with systemic complications affecting other organs, too. Special attention should be addressed to dental status. The low incidence of stroke in patients with congenital heart disease may reflect awareness and prophylactic measures.

Clinical Profile and Prognosis of Patients with Left-Sided Infective Endocarditis with Surgical Indication Who Are Not Operated.

Approximately a quarter of patients with infective endocarditis (IE) who have surgical indication only receive antibiotic treatment. Their short-term prognosis is dismal. We aimed to describe the characteristics of this group of patients to evaluate the mortality according to the cause of rejection and type of surgical indication and to analyze their prognostic factors of mortality. From 2005 to 2022, 1105 patients with definite left-sided IE were consecutively attended in three tertiary hospitals. Of them, 912 (82.5%) had formal surgical indication according to the most recent European Guidelines available in each period of the study and 303 (33%) only received medical treatment. These were older, had more comorbidities and higher in-hospital (46% vs. 24%; p < 0.001) and one year mortality (57.1% vs. 27.6%; p < 0.001) than operated patients. The main reason for surgical rejection was high surgical risk (57.1%) and the highest mortality when the cause were severe neurological conditions (76%). When the endocarditis team took the decision not to operate (25.5% of the patients), in-hospital (7%) and one-year mortality (17%) were low. In-hospital mortality associated with each surgical indication was 67% in heart failure, 53% in uncontrolled infection and 45% in prevention of embolisms (p < 0.001). Heart failure (OR: 2.26 CI95%: 1.29-3.96; p = 0.005), Staphylococcus aureus (OR: 3.17; CI95%: 1.72-5.86; p < 0.001) and persistent infection (OR: 5.07 CI95%: 2.85-9.03) are the independent risk factors of in-hospital mortality. One third of the patients with left-sided IE and formal surgical indication are rejected for surgery. In-hospital mortality is very high, especially when heart failure is the indication for surgery and when severe neurological conditions the reason for rejection. Short term prognosis of patients rejected by a specialized endocarditis team is favorable.

Determinants of Surgical Outcomes in Tricuspid Valve Endocarditis

BackgroundCurrent treatment guidelines for infective endocarditis focus on left-sided infective endocarditis. Because right-sided infective endocarditis has different presentations and outcomes, it is crucial to further delineate surgical outcomes for isolated tricuspid valve endocarditis (TVE). MethodsThis retrospective study reviewed 374 surgically treated patients with isolated TVE from January 2012 through April 2022 who underwent isolated tricuspid valve surgery. Primary outcomes were in-hospital mortality, permanent pacemaker need, and postsurgical inotropic support. ResultsThe in-hospital mortality rate was 4% (n = 15). Patients with liver disease had 3.81-times higher odds of mortality vs no liver disease (odds ratio [OR], 3.81; 95% CI, 1.22-12.17). A pacemaker was required in 17% of patients without a prior pacemaker, which was 4.07 times the odds with tricuspid valve replacement (OR, 4.07; 95% CI, 1.72-11.60) vs tricuspid valve repair. Each yearly increase in patient age demonstrated lower odds of permanent pacemaker requirement by 7% (OR, 0.93; 95% CI, 0.89-0.97). The odds for postoperative inotropic support increased 2.55-times higher in patients receiving preoperative inotropic agents (OR, 2.55; 95% CI, 1.29-5.05), 2.27-times higher with renal failure (OR, 2.27; 95% CI, 1.38-3.74), and 86% higher in patients administered preoperative heparin (OR, 1.86; 95% CI, 1.14-3.02). ConclusionsMortality of surgical treatment for TVE was 4%, with higher risks with liver disease. Tricuspid valve replacement was associated with higher odds for permanent pacemaker vs repair. Renal failure, preoperative inotropic support, and preoperative heparin were associated with higher odds for postoperative inotropic support. These findings further illustrate surgical outcomes with TVE.

Critically ill patients with infective endocarditis, neurological complications and indication for cardiac surgery: a multicenter propensity-adjusted study

BackgroundThe benefit–risk balance and optimal timing of surgery for severe infective endocarditis (IE) with ischemic or hemorrhagic strokes is unknown. The study aim was to compare the neurological outcome between patients receiving surgery or not.MethodsIn a prospective register-based multicenter ICU study, patients were included if they met the following criteria: (i) left-sided IE with an indication for heart surgery; (ii) with cerebral complications documented by cerebral imaging before cardiac surgery; (iii) with Sequential Organ Failure Assessment score ≥ 3. Exclusion criteria were isolated right-sided IE, in-hospital acquired IE and patients with cerebral complications only after cardiac surgery. In the primary analysis, the prognostic value of surgery in term of disability at 6 month was assessed by using a propensity score-adjusted logistic regression.Results192 patients were included including ischemic stroke (74.5%) and hemorrhagic lesion (15.6%): 67 (35%) had medical treatment and 125 (65%) cardiac surgery. In the propensity score-adjusted logistic regression, a favorable 6-month neurological outcome was associated with surgery (odds ratio 13.8 (95% CI 6.2–33.7). The 1-year mortality was strongly reduced with surgery in the fixed-effect propensity-adjusted Cox model (hazard ratio 0.18; 95% CI 0.11–0.27; p < 0.001). These effects remained whether the patients received delayed surgery (n = 62/125) or not and whether they were deeply comatose (Glasgow Coma Scale ≤ 10) or not.ConclusionsIn critically ill IE patients with an indication for surgery and previous cerebral events, a better propensity-adjusted neurological outcome was associated with surgery compared with medical treatment.

Early Surgery for Infective Endocarditis Complicated With Neurologic Injury

ObjectivesTo estimate the association between early surgery and the risk of mortality in patients with left-sided infective endocarditis patients in the context of stroke. DesignRetrospective cohort study. SettingThis study was a multi-institution study based on Chang Gung Research Database (CGRD), which contains electronic medical records from 7 hospitals in northern and southern Taiwan; these include 2 medical centers, 2 regional hospitals, and 3 district hospitals. ParticipantsPatients with active left-sided infective endocarditis who underwent valve surgery between September 2002 and December 2018. InterventionsWe divided patients into two groups with versus without preoperative neurologic complications, undergone early (within 7 days) or non-early surgery, and with brain ischemia or hemorrhage. Measurements and Main Results392 patients with the median time from diagnosis to operation 6 days were included. No significant differences in postoperative stroke, in-hospital mortality, or follow-up outcomes were observed between the patients with and without neurological complications. Among the patients with preoperative neurological complications, patients who underwent early surgery had a lower 30-day postoperative mortality rate (13.1% vs 25.8%; hazard ratio, 0.21; 95% CI, 0.07 to 0.67). In the subgroup analysis of comparison between brain ischemia and hemorrhage groups, there was no significant between-group difference on the in-hospital outcomes or outcomes after discharge. ConclusionsEarly cardiac operation may be associated with more favorable clinical outcomes in the patients with preoperative neurological complications. Thus, preoperative neurological complications should not delay operative interventions.

The Predictive Value of Sepsis Scores for In-Hospital Mortality in Patients with Left-Sided Infective Endocarditis.

As infective endocarditis has particular characteristics compared to other infectious diseases, it is not clear if sepsis scores are reported with good accuracy in these patients. The aim of this study is to evaluate the accuracy of the qSOFA and SOFA scores to predict mortality in patients with infective endocarditis. Between January 2010 and June 2019, 867 patients with suspected left-sided endocarditis were evaluated; 517 were included with left-sided infective endocarditis defined as "possible" or "definite" endocarditis, according to the Modified Duke Criteria. ROC curves were constructed to assess the accuracy of qSOFA and SOFA sepsis scores for the prediction of in-hospital mortality. The median age was 57 years, 65% were male, 435 (84%) had pre-existing heart valve disease, and the overall mortality was 28%. The most frequent etiologies were Streptococcus spp. (36%), Enterococcus spp. (10%), and Staphylococcus aureus (9%). The sepsis scores from the ROC curves used to predict in-hospital mortality were qSOFA 0.601 (CI95% 0.522-0.681) and SOFA score 0.679 (CI95% 0.602-0.756). A sub-group analysis in patients with and without pre-existing valve disease for SOFA ≥ 2 showed ROC curves of 0.627 (CI95% 0.563-0.690) and 0.775 (CI95% 0.594-0.956), respectively. qSOFA and SOFA scores were associated with increased in-hospital mortality in patients with infective endocarditis. However, as accuracy was relatively lower compared to other sites of bacterial infections, we believe that this score may have lower accuracy when predicting the prognosis of patients with IE, because, in this disease, the patient's death may be more frequently linked to valvular and cardiac dysfunction, as well as embolic events, and less frequently directly associated with sepsis.

Characteristics, risk factors and outcomes of patients managed for left-sided infective endocarditis: A prospective study in a high-volume center

Characteristics, risk factors and outcomes of patients managed for left-sided infective endocarditis: A prospective study in a high-volume center

Neurological complications of left-sided infective endocarditis and their impact on prognosis

Neurological complications of left-sided infective endocarditis and their impact on prognosis

Trends of Infective Endocarditis at Two Teaching Hospitals: A 12-Year Retrospective Cohort Study in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

Despite advances in diagnosis and treatment, the incidence and mortality of infective endocarditis (IE) have increased in recent decades. Studies on the risk factors for mortality in endocarditis in Latin America are scarce. This retrospective cohort study included 240 patients diagnosed with IE according to the modified Duke criteria who were admitted to two university hospitals in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil from January 2009 to June 2021. Poisson regression analysis was performed for trend tests. The multivariate Cox proportional hazards model was used to estimate the hazard ratio (HR) of predictors of in-hospital mortality. The median age was 55 years (IQR: 39-66 years), 57% were male, and 41% had a Charlson comorbidity index (CCI) score > 3. Healthcare-associated infective endocarditis (54%), left-sided native valve IE (77.5%), and staphylococcal IE (26%) predominated. Overall, in-hospital mortality was 45.8%, and mortality was significantly higher in the following patients: aged ≥ 60 years (53%), CCI score ≥ 3 (60%), healthcare-associated infective endocarditis (HAIE) (53%), left-sided IE (51%), and enterococcal IE (67%). Poisson regression analysis showed no trend in in-hospital mortality per year. The adjusted multivariate model determined that age ≥ 60 years was an independent risk factor for in-hospital mortality (HR = 1.9; 95% CI 1.2-3.1; p = 0.008). In this 12-year retrospective cohort, there was no evidence of an improvement in survival in patients with IE. Since older age is a risk factor for mortality, consensus is needed for the management of IE in this group of patients.

Detection of pathogens from venous or arterial blood of patients with left-sided infective endocarditis by metagenomic next-generation sequencing: A prospective study

BackgroundInfective endocarditis is a life-threatening uncommon infectious disease, and we aimed to explore the clinical utility of venous or arterial blood-based metagenomic next-generation sequencing (mNGS) approaches to diagnose left-sided infective endocarditis (LSIE). MethodsWe prospectively studied 79 LSIE patients who received valvular surgery in our hospital. Results of blood culture, valve culture, venous blood-based mNGS, arterial blood-based mNGS, venous blood-based mNGS plus blood culture, and arterial blood-based mNGS plus blood culture were evaluated and compared. ResultsBoth venous blood- and arterial blood-based mNGS methods displayed significantly higher positive detection rates than blood culture and valve culture (43.0 %, 49.4 % vs. 32.9 %, 19.0 %; P < 0.001). Strikingly, when combining blood-based mNGS and blood culture, the positive rate could be further improved to more than 60 %. Moreover, we found mNGS LSIE detection was closely associated with preoperative leukocyte (P = 0.027), neutrophil value (P = 0.018), vegetation ≥ 14 mm (P = 0.043), and vegetations in aortic valve (P = 0.048). In addition, we discovered that blood-based mNGS had a superir capacity over blood culture to detect gram-negative bacteria, fungi, Bartonella Quintana, and mixed infections than blood culture. ConclusionThis study indicates that venous blood- and arterial blood-based mNGS displayed high positive rate in the rapid detection of pathogens in high-risk LSIE patients.

Mitral valve endocarditis presenting as a stroke in a young lady: A case report

Left-sided infective endocarditis is a recognized but less common cause of cerebral embolism. When the causative organism is Methicillin- resistant Staphylococcus aureus, the rate of embolic phenomena increases. In such cases, surgical interventions should be considered when indicated. We present a case of a 20-year-old girl who presented with acute onset aphasia, and found to be having multifocal acute cerebral infarctions in brain imaging, which do not fall into a single vascular territory. Her echocardiogram confirmed mitral valve endocarditis while blood cultures were positive for Methicillin- resistant Staphylococcus aureus. She responded poorly to antibiotics and ultimately ended up with metallic prosthetic mitral valve replacement.

2409. Potential candidates for partial oral treatment in patients with endocarditis at a US center

Abstract Background In the Danish POET trial, oral step-down oral antibiotics in patients with left-sided infective endocarditis (IE) was non-inferior to traditional intravenous antibiotics (IV-AB). Outpatient parenteral antimicrobial therapy (OPAT) is widely used in the US despite associated adverse events. Our aim was to assess the proportion of US patients that were potential candidates for step-down oral antibiotic treatment, i.e. POET-treatment, and number of days IV-AB antibiotics could have been reduced. Methods Retrospective study of patients admitted with left-sided IE at a US single center from January 2021 – June 2022 was conducted. Patients were considered candidates for POET-treatment if they were infected with S. aureus, E. faecalis, Streptococcus spp., or CoNS, had a BMI &amp;lt; 40 kg/m2 and survived until discharge. The primary outcome was a composite of all-cause mortality, symptomatic embolism, unplanned cardiac surgery, and relapse of bacteremia within 6 months. Results Out of 111 patients with left-sided IE, 71 (64%) were considered potential POET-candidates (median age 64 years (IQR 54-75), 72% male); 30% had IE caused by S. aureus, and 48% were surgically treated (Table 1). Potential candidates were older (64 vs 60 years), more often infected with Streptococcus spp. (24% vs 0%) or CoNS (23% vs 5%), and had a pacemaker/ICD at baseline (23% vs 5%), as compared to patients who were not candidates for POET-treatment. Of potential POET-candidates, 93% (66/71) were stabilized, allowing discharge to OPAT with a median of 29 days (IQR 20-36) of antibiotic treatment remaining. The primary outcome occurred in 28% of potential POET-candidates and in 53% of non-POET candidates, compared to the occurrence of the primary outcome in 11% in the Danish POET-trial (Table 2). Conclusion More than half of patients admitted with left-sided IE were potential candidates for POET-treatment. For the vast majority of these patients, up to 4 weeks of IV-AB may have converted to oral step-down antibiotics. Prevalence of the primary outcome in potential POET-candidates was almost 3 times higher in this US cohort than in the Danish POET trial, indicating a higher baseline risk. These findings indicate a need for prospective studies of oral step-down antibiotic therapy in US patients with IE. Disclosures Joji Suzuki, MD, Indivior: Grant/Research Support

Characterization of patients receiving surgical versus non-surgical treatment for infective endocarditis in West Virginia.

Infective endocarditis (IE) has increased in rural states such as West Virginia (WV) with high injection drug use. IE is medically managed with antimicrobial treatment alone or combined with surgical treatment. This study aimed to characterize the predictors associated with surgical treatment and rates of inpatient mortality and readmission among IE patients in WV's rural centers. This retrospective review of electronic health records includes all adults hospitalized for IE at major rural tertiary cardiovascular centers in WV during 2014-2018. Descriptive statistics were presented on demographics, history of injection drug use, clinical characteristics, and hospital utilization by surgery status, and multivariable logistic regression examined the association of surgery with key predictor variables, generating odds ratios (OR). Of the 780 patients with IE, 38% had surgery, with a 26-fold increase in patients undergoing surgery between 2014-2018. Comparing surgery and non-surgery patients revealed significant differences. Surgery patients were significantly younger (median age 35.6 vs. 40.5 years; p<0.001); had higher rates of drug use history (80% vs. 65%; p<0.001), psychiatric disorders (57% vs. 31%; p<0.001), and readmissions (18% vs.12%; p = 0.015). Surgery patients had lower rates of discharge against medical advice (11% vs.17%; p = 0.028) and in-hospital mortality (5% vs.12%; p<0.001). In the multivariable logistic regression, surgery was associated with injection drug use (OR: 1.9; 95% CI:1.09-3. 3), indications for surgery (OR: 1.68; 95% CI:1.48-1.91), left-sided IE (OR: 2.14; 95%CI:1.43-3.19) and later years (OR:3.75; 95%CI:2.5-5.72). This study characterizes the predictors associated with surgical treatment and rates of inpatient mortality and readmission among IE patients across rural WV. The decision to perform cardiac surgery on IE patients is complex. Results with increased injection drug use-associated IE emphasize the importance of comprehensive care by a multidisciplinary team for optimal management of patients with IE.

Left-sided native valve infective endocarditis concomitant with severe valvular regurgitation: Prevalence, characteristics and prognostic factors

Abstract Background The characteristics of patients with left-sided native valve infective endocarditis and severe valvular regurgitation has never been studied. Purpose To analyze the prevalence of severe valvular regurgitation in patients with left-sided infective endocarditis, to describe in detail their characteristics and to determine the prognostic factors of these patients. Patients and methods We included in an ongoing multipurpose database, all patients with definite left-sided infective endocarditis admitted in three Spanish tertiary hospitals from 2005 to 2022. We describe the clinical, epidemiological, microbiological, echocardiographic characteristics of patients with severe valvular regurgitation and compared it with those without it. We also analyzed the independent factors of in-hospital mortality of these patients. Results Of a total of 874 patients with left-sided native valve infective endocarditis of our series, 564 had severe valvular regurgitation (65%). Comparison between patients with and without severe valvular regurgitation is shown in figure 1. Age (HR 1.035 95% CI 1.02-1.05), S. aureus (HR 2.26; 95% CI 1.26-4.1), vegetations (HR 3.7; 95% CI 1.2-11.4), heart failure (HR 2.76; 95% IC 1.5-5.1), renal failure (HR 3.1; 95% CI 1.9-4.9) and septic shock (HR 4.3; 95% CI 2.29-8) were the independent factors of in hospital mortality. On the contrary, cardiac surgery is an independent protector factor of mortality (HR 0.35; 95% CI 0.21-0.59). Conclusions A very high proportion of patients with definite left-sided infective endocarditis have severe valvular regurgitation in our series. Despite important epidemiological, clinical and echocardiographic differences with patients without it, the short-term prognosis is similar Surgery is an independent protective factor in these patients.

Characteristics, risk factors and outcomes of patients managed for left-sided infective endocarditis: a prospective study in a high-volume center

Abstract Background Although medical and surgical management of infective endocarditis (IE) have improved in the recent decades, the associated mortality remains high. Available prospective data are scarce, and further knowledge from prospective cohorts could help improving the prognosis of patients with IE. Objective To describe the characteristics and outcomes of left-sided IE and to determine the risk factors associated to in-hospital mortality in a high-volume center. Methods From 15 September 2020 to 15 February 2023, all patients with left-sided IE managed in a tertiary center of cardiology were included in this prospective, observational study. The diagnosis of IE was made according to current guidelines and management was collegially discussed by the endocarditis team. Determinants of in-hospital death were assessed using a multivariate logistic regression model including any covariate associated in univariate analysis (p&amp;lt;0.1). Results A total of 185 patients were included during the study period. Median age was 68 [56 – 76] years, 141 (76%) patients were males, and 75 (41%) cases involved a prosthetic valve. Aortic valve, mitral valve and involvement of both valves were observed in 111 (60%), 48 (26%) and 26 (14%) patients, respectively. Multimodal cardiac imaging, including cardiac computed tomography (CT) and/or PET-FDG, was used in 64 (35%) of all cases, and 49/75 (65%) patients with valvular prosthesis. Severe valvular regurgitation was identified in 56 (30%) patients, root abscess and/or false aneurysms in 57 (31%) patients. A pathogen agent was identified in 169 (91%) patients, and the most frequent germs were Staphylococcus (30%), Streptococcus (30%) and Enterococcus (17%). A severe initial presentation requiring intensive care unit (ICU) admission was observed in 42 (23%) patients. Cardiac surgery was performed in 102 (55%) cases, and 41 (22%) patients required an emergent surgery. A total of 37 (20%) patients died during the initial in-hospital phase, mostly from cardiac or neurovascular causes. In a multivariate analysis, hypertension (Odd ratio (OR) = 3.3; 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.4 – 10), bi-valvular endocarditis (OR = 3.1; 95%CI: 1.0 – 9.5), unidentified pathogen (OR = 4.3; 95%CI: 1.7 – 15) and chronic alcoholic abuse (OR = 16.4; 95%CI: 3.7 – 87.9) were independently associated with increased in-hospital mortality (Table). Conclusion Severe initial presentation requiring an ICU admission and/or urgent cardiac surgery was common among patients with left-sided IE. Chronic alcoholic abuse and unidentified pathogen appear as major determinants of in-hospital mortality.Table

Prevalence, profile, causes and prognostic factors of surgical rejection in patients with left-sided infective endocarditis

Abstract Background Despite the benefits of cardiac surgery in infective endocarditis, a high proportion of patients with surgical indication are not operated, which worsens their prognosis profoundly. Several attempts have been done to study this group of patients, but many aspects remain unclear so far. Purpose To analyze the prevalence, to describe in detail their characteristics, to determine the reasons for the denial and the prognostic factors of these patients in the widest series to date of patients with surgical indication but not operated. Patients and methods We included in an ongoing multipurpose database, all patients with definite left-sided infective endocarditis admitted in three Spanish tertiary hospitals from 2005 to 2022. We describe the clinical, epidemiological, microbiological, echocardiographic characteristics of patients with surgical indication according to the European guidelines who did not undergo surgery and compared with those patients operated on. We also analyzed the reasons of the denial and finally, through a univariate and multivariate analysis, determine the independent factors of in-hospital mortality of these patients. Results Of a total of 1105 patients with left-sided infective endocarditis of our series, 893 had surgical indication (81%) and 219 did not undergo surgery (19.8%). The main reason for surgical rejection was very high risk determined by an endocarditis team (56%), followed by stroke (25%), death before surgery (15%) and patient rejection (0.7%). The most frequent surgical indication of patients who were not operated was uncontrolled infection (50.4%). Patients not operated were older (73 vs 63; p&amp;lt;0.001), more frequently female (38.8% vs 29.5%; p=0.01), diabetic (34.7% vs 24.4%, p=0.003) and chronic renal failure (27.4% vs 11.3%; p&amp;lt;0.001). At admission they had more stroke (21.5% vs 12.1%; p=0.001) and septic shock (13.2% vs 6.9%; p=0.03). Staphylococcus aureus (34.7% vs 16.5%; p&amp;lt;0.001) and echocardiographic vegetations (92.7% vs 85.3%; p=0.005) were more frequent whereas Streptococcus viridans (8.2% vs 17.7%; p=0.001) and severe valvular regurgitation (64.8% vs 74.6%; p=0.005) were less frequent. In hospital mortality of patients not operated was 63.9%, significantly higher than operated patients (23%; p&amp;lt;0.001). The only independent risk factor of in-hospital mortality in patients with surgical indication who did not undergo surgery was persistent infection (HR 3.689; CI 95% 1.75-7.78). Conclusions A very high proportion of patients with definite left-sided infective endocarditis had surgical indication according to the European guidelines, but a quarter of them were not operated. Very high surgical risk was the main reason for the denial. They were older, had more comorbidities and a more aggressive microbiological profile. Mortality of these patients was three times higher than operated patients.

Abstract 17647: Potential Candidates for Partial Oral Treatment in Patients With Endocarditis at a US Center

Introduction: In the Danish POET trial, oral step-down antibiotic therapy was non-inferior to intravenous antibiotic therapy (IVAB) in stabilized patients with left-sided infective endocarditis (IE). It is unknown whether oral treatment for IE can be efficacious in the US population. Aim Identify patients with IE who may have been candidates for POET treatment in a US cohort and assess the reduction of IVAB days and differences in characteristics and outcomes compared to participants in the POET trial. Methods: Retrospective study of patients admitted with IE at a US single center in Jan 2021 - July 2022. Possible candidates for POET treatment were patients with left-sided IE and infection with S. aureus , E. faecalis , Streptococcus , or coagulase-negative staph (CoNS), who had reached stabilization of infection or were discharged. Primary outcome was a composite of all-cause mortality, relapse of bacteremia, embolism or unplanned cardiac surgery within 6 months. Results: Of 152 patients with IE, 90 (59%) were possible candidates for POET treatment. Median length of IVAB after stabilization was 33 days (IQR 24-37). Compared to POET-trial patients, POET candidates in the US cohort were younger (64 vs 70 years), more often had diabetes (30% vs 17%), cancer (30% vs 8%), intravenous substance use (8% vs 1%) or pacemakers (18% vs 9%) [Table]. Prevalence of S. aureus (35% vs 22%) and CoNS infections (23% and 6%) was higher; Streptococcus was less common (30% vs 49%). Primary outcome occurred in 25 patients (28%) compared to 42 patients (10%) in the POET-trial (p&lt;0.001). Conclusions: More than half of patients admitted with IE were possible POET candidates, for whom 4 weeks of IVAB may have been converted to oral antibiotics. Candidates in the US cohort had more comorbidities and primary outcome was three times higher than in the POET trial. Prospective studies are needed for verification of POET treatment in higher-risk US IE patients.