Related Experiment Video
Updated: Feb 10, 2026
Experimental Endocarditis Model of Methicillin Resistant Staphylococcus aureus MRSA in Rat
Published on: June 4, 2012
Left endocarditis, changes in the new millennium
Mariam Noureddine-López1, Javier de la Torre-Lima1, Josefa Ruiz-Morales2
1Grupo de Enfermedades Infecciosas de la Unidad de Medicina Interna, Hospital Costa del Sol, Marbella, Málaga, España.
Insights
Infective endocarditis patients in the new millennium are older with more comorbidities, yet mortality remains stable around 30%. This is due to increased healthcare-associated infections and more aggressive microorganisms, despite treatment advances.
Area of Science:
- Cardiology
- Infectious Diseases
- Epidemiology
Background:
- Infective endocarditis (IE) presents unique challenges at the turn of the millennium.
- Understanding epidemiological shifts in IE is crucial for effective management.
Purpose of the Study:
- To describe infective left endocarditis (IE) at the turn of the millennium.
- To compare IE patient characteristics and outcomes between two distinct periods (1983-1999 and 2000-2014).
Main Methods:
- A multicentre prospective study of the Andalusian cohort for cardiovascular infections.
- Data collected from 1,604 IE cases between 1983 and 2014, divided into two groups: 1983-1999 (G1) and 2000-2014 (G2).
Main Results:
- Patients in the new millennium (G2) were older, had higher comorbidity, and more frequent nosocomial IE.
- An increase in methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, Enterococcus sp., Gram-negative bacilli, and Streptococcus bovis was observed.
- Despite treatment changes and increased surgery, mortality remained stable at approximately 30% in both periods.
Conclusions:
- Stable mortality rates in IE are attributed to older patients, increased comorbidity, nosocomial infections, and more aggressive pathogens.
- Multivariate analysis identified age, comorbidity, renal failure, septic shock, and Staphylococcus aureus as key factors associated with mortality.
Introduction:
a description of infective left endocarditis at the turn of the millennium.
Method:
A multicentre prospective study into the left endocarditis using data collected from the Andalusian cohort for the study of cardiovascular infections during 1984-2014.
Results:
Of the 1,604 endocarditis cases collected, 382 belonged to G1 (group-1, period 1983-1999) and 1,222 to G2 (group-2, 2000-2014). Patients in the new millennium have a significantly higher mean age, have more comorbidity and concomitant diseases, and nosocomial and health-related endocarditis are more frequent, as well as complications. An increase in methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, Enterococcus sp., Gram-negative bacilli and Streptococcus bovis was noted. Regarding treatment, there is an increase in the use of cephalosporins and a decrease in penicillins; there is more surgery when admitted to hospital and less delay. Mortality stands at around 30% in both millennia. In the multivariate analysis, mortality was associated with: previous millennium (G1), age, Charlson index, renal failure and septic shock, and aetiologically with Staphylococcus aureus.
Conclusions:
Mortality remains stable, despite diagnostic and therapeutic improvements, because patients are older, have greater comorbidity, a closer relationship with the health care system (nosocomial) and microorganisms are more aggressive.
Related Concept Videos
01:25Endocarditis II: Clinical Features of Infective Endocarditis
01:25Endocarditis I: Introduction
01:18Endocarditis III: Medical Management
01:29Endocarditis IV: Nursing Management
01:24Cardiac Catheterization III: Left Heart Catheterization
01:27Anatomy of the Heart