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Published on: September 20, 2018

Infectious endocarditis in pediatric patients: analysis of 19 cases presenting at a medical center

Hsi-Hsien Wei1, Keh-Gong Wu, Leticia B Sy

  • 1Department of Pediatrics, Taipei Veterans General Hospital, National Yang-Ming University, Taipei, Taiwan.

Journal of Microbiology, Immunology, and Infection = Wei Mian Yu Gan Ran Za Zhi
|November 16, 2010
PubMed

Insights

Infectious endocarditis (IE) in children is rare but serious. Staphylococcus aureus is a common cause, linked to higher mortality and embolic events in pediatric IE cases.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric infectious diseases
  • Cardiology
  • Microbiology

Background:

  • Infectious endocarditis (IE) is a rare but potentially fatal condition in pediatric patients.
  • Understanding the specific characteristics of IE in children is crucial for timely diagnosis and effective management.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review the symptoms, signs, etiology, laboratory findings, and outcomes of pediatric patients diagnosed with IE over a 10-year period.
  • To identify common causative agents and associated risk factors for mortality and complications in pediatric IE.

Main Methods:

  • Retrospective chart review of pediatric patients (< 18 years) diagnosed with definite IE between September 1998 and September 2008.
  • Data collected included clinical presentation, microbiological etiology, laboratory results, and patient outcomes.

Main Results:

  • Nineteen pediatric cases of IE were identified. Staphylococcus aureus was a frequent cause (7/19 cases).
  • Fever (89.5%) and embolic events (36.8%) were common. Mortality occurred in 2 patients, with S. aureus infection associated with higher mortality.
  • Elevated C-reactive protein levels were significantly higher in blood culture-positive cases (p = 0.035).

Conclusions:

  • Staphylococcus aureus is a predominant etiology in pediatric IE, unlike previous reports emphasizing viridans Streptococcus.
  • IE caused by S. aureus appears to carry an increased risk of mortality and embolic complications in children.
Abstract

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