[Association of bacterial endocarditis and alcoholic cirrhosis in 9 patients]

Ten cases of bacterial endocarditis were observed in cirrhotic patients. In 7 cases, endocarditis was due to group D Streptococcus, 5 of which were Streptococcus D. bovis. Special features were the involvement of tricuspid valve and the involvement of two or more valves in 4 cases. Surgery was necessary in the acute phase in 5 patients: cure was definitely obtained in 8 cases after a particularly long interval. A colonic lesion could have been the portal of entry in some cases. Liver cirrhosis was considered as a predisposing factor for bacterial endocarditis, especially due to group D Streptococcus or to other bacteria of intestinal origin. This is probably related to the frequency of the colonic origin of group D Streptococcus endocarditis. Loss of filter function of the liver may partly explain the features of these forms of endocarditis.