[Short and long-term prognosis of prosthetic valve endocarditis in non-drug addicts]

Prosthetic valve infective endocarditis is a complication of valvular replacement surgery with a high morbimortality during the in-hospital phase and an important risk of complications during follow-up. The objective of the present study is to assess the clinical features and the short and long-term prognosis of this disease.

A prospective study of 43 consecutive cases of prosthetic valve endocarditis in non-addict patients from January 1987 to March 1997.

The mean age was 51 +/-16 years. Eight patients (19%) had early prosthetic valve endocarditis (two months following heart surgery), fourteen patients (32%) had intermediate (between 2 and 12 months post surgery) and twenty-one (49%) had late prosthetic valve endocarditis (more than one year after heart surgery). Transesophageal echocardiography was performed in 32 patients with a sensibility of 81%. Complications occurred in 86% of patients and 53% of patients underwent surgery during the active phase (25% was emergency surgery). Inpatient mortality was 23% (50% in early prosthetic valve endocarditis). After a mean follow-up of 56 months there were 5 cases of recurrence, four patients required late surgery and 5 patients died. Survival (excluding early mortality) was 82% at 5 years with no significant differences among patients who received only medical treatment and those who underwent surgery in the active phase.

Early mortality of prosthetic valve endocarditis is, according to our experience of 20%. The prognosis of survivors to the active phase is favourable in the majority. Early prosthetic valve endocarditis still causes a high mortality rate despite the use of combined medical surgical treatment in most cases.