The evolving pattern of pediatric endocarditis from 1960 to 1985

A diagnosis of endocarditis was made in 37 patients (three days to 21 years old) on the basis of the following: histology in 11; at least two positive blood cultures in patients with underlying cardiac disease in 22; less than two positive blood cultures, vegetations seen at echocardiography and a suggestive clinical syndrome in four. Twenty-six patients had primary endocarditis (17 with pre-existing cardiopathy, nine with normal hearts). The 11 others developed secondary endocarditis following heart surgery (early onset in six, late onset in five). The mean delay before diagnosis was prolonged 35.8 days. The clinical and laboratory findings included weakness in 36 patients, fever in 35, new or modified heart murmur in 14, positive blood cultures in 30, anemia in 12, high white blood cell count in 15, increased sedimentation rate in 14, and positive echocardiogram in 11. Etiologic agents isolated were: streptococci in 17, staphylococci in seven, miscellaneous germs in eight, and aspergillus in two. Mortality was greater in patients less than one year old, infected with aspergillus or without underlying heart disease. The present study suggests that childhood endocarditis remains uncommon but presents a poor prognosis with a mortality of 27% and a morbidity of 85.7%.