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Bacterial endocarditis in children under 2 years of age
Insights
Infants with bacterial sepsis face a high risk of bacterial endocarditis, especially those with congenital heart disease (CHD). This serious infection carries a poor prognosis in this vulnerable population.
Area of Science:
- Pediatrics
- Infectious Diseases
- Cardiology
Background:
- Bacterial endocarditis is a severe infection of the heart lining.
- Infants with bacterial sepsis are a vulnerable population.
- Congenital heart disease (CHD) may increase susceptibility to infections.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess the risk of bacterial endocarditis in infants with bacterial sepsis.
- To determine the impact of congenital heart disease (CHD) on this risk.
- To evaluate the mortality associated with bacterial endocarditis in infants.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective review of clinical and autopsy records from 1930 to 1972.
- Analysis of 847 infants diagnosed with bacterial sepsis.
- Comparison of bacterial endocarditis incidence between infants with and without CHD.
Main Results:
- 12 cases (1.4%) of bacterial endocarditis were identified among 847 infants with bacterial sepsis.
- Infants with CHD and sepsis had a significantly higher risk (10%) compared to those without CHD (0.8%).
- Bacterial endocarditis in infants had a high mortality rate, with only one documented survivor.
Conclusions:
- Infants with bacterial sepsis have an increased risk of developing bacterial endocarditis.
- The presence of congenital heart disease (CHD) substantially elevates this risk.
- Bacterial endocarditis in infants is associated with a grave prognosis.
Abstract:
The risk of bacterial endocarditis in infants with bacterial sepsis was assessed by review of clinical and autopsy records (1930 to 1972). There were 12 cases of bacterial endocarditis among 847 patients (1.4%) dying with bacterial sepis; a single survivor was noted during the entire period. Of the 12 autopsy patients, six had underlying congenital heart disease (CHD). Among 61 patients with bacterial sepsis associated with CHD, six acquired bacterial endocarditis (10%), whereas in 786 infants with sepsis but without underlying heart disease, only six developed bacterial endocarditis (0.8%) (P less than .01). There is a high mortality in infants with bacterial endocarditis, and an increased risk of it in infants with sepsis and CHD.