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Endocarditis in Greenland with special reference to endocarditis caused by Streptococcus pneumoniae
Rasmus Gaarde Madsen1, Karin Ladefoged, Jens Jørgen Kjaergaard
1Medical Department, Queen Ingrid's Hospital, Nuuk, 3900 Greenland, Denmark. rasmusgaarde@gmail.com
International Journal of Circumpolar Health
|November 18, 2009
Summary
Infectious endocarditis is more common in Greenland, with pneumococcal endocarditis (PE) being particularly severe. PE cases showed high rates of heart failure, surgery, and mortality, unlike in other populations.
Area of Science:
- Cardiology
- Infectious Diseases
- Epidemiology
Background:
- Infectious endocarditis (IE) is a serious condition affecting heart valves.
- Pneumococcal endocarditis (PE) is a rare but aggressive form of IE.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine the incidence and outcomes of IE in Greenland.
- To specifically analyze the characteristics and prognosis of PE in this population.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective review of patient files and medical history.
- Analysis of infectious endocarditis cases from the Greenland Patient Registry (1995-2005).
Main Results:
- 25 IE cases identified, with an incidence rate of 4.0/100,000 annually.
- 24% of IE cases were caused by Streptococcus pneumoniae, significantly higher than in Caucasian populations.
- PE cases exhibited fulminant disease, frequent heart failure, complications, and a 33% mortality rate, with 67% requiring acute valve replacement.
Conclusions:
- The high incidence and severe prognosis of PE in Greenland are similar to findings in an Alaskan Inuit population.
- These findings highlight a distinct epidemiological and clinical profile of PE in Arctic populations.
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