[Clinical and morphological aspects of infectious endocarditis]

Area of Science:

• Cardiology
• Infectious Diseases
• Pathomorphology

Background:

• Infectious endocarditis (IE) is a serious heart valve infection.
• Understanding IE's evolving characteristics is crucial for effective management.
• Previous studies provide a baseline for assessing changes in IE over time.

Purpose of the Study:

• To analyze changes in infectious endocarditis presentation and outcomes over two decades.
• To identify new risk factors and complications associated with IE.
• To evaluate diagnostic and prognostic markers for IE-related cardiac dysfunction.

Main Methods:

• Comparative analysis of patient data from two distinct time periods (1985-1977 and 2000-2011).
• Inclusion of anamnestic, clinical, laboratory, and instrumental data.
• Morphological studies of myocardial changes.

Main Results:

• Evidence of IE pathomorphosis: increased male patients, primary cases, and invasive procedure history.
• Higher rates of thromboembolic complications, including pulmonary thromboembolism and right heart endocarditis.
• C-peptide and natriuretic peptide precursors show diagnostic value for inflammation and cardiac failure.
• Correlation between inflammation severity and myocardial dysfunction; early surgery improves prognosis.

Conclusions:

• Infectious endocarditis is undergoing pathomorphosis, presenting with new demographic and clinical features.
• Biomarkers like C-peptide and natriuretic peptide precursors aid in assessing IE activity and cardiac status.
• Timely surgical intervention is vital for improving prognosis in cases unresponsive to antibiotic therapy.