Comparable clinical course between coagulase-negative staphylococcal and Staphylococcus aureus endocarditis

Staphylococcus aureus (SA) is involved in almost one-third of endocarditis events (known as E-SA) and is frequently associated with unfavorable outcomes compared to infectious endocarditis (IE) caused by other pathogens including coagulase-negative staphylococci (CNS). The aim of this study was to compare the morbidity and mortality of patients with E-SA and endocarditis due to CNS (known as E-CNS).

A monocentric retrospective cohort analysis was conducted including all patients admitted with IE from January 2010 to December 2017. Lengths of stay, complications, in-hospital and 1-year mortality were described from medical records and compared between E-SA and E-CNS.

Among the 428 patients included, 102 had staphylococcus (50 E-SA and 52 E-CNS). Half of the IE events due to staphylococcus occurred in the year following a cardiac procedure [p = 0.029]. A septic embolism occurred in 41% and 48% of patients with E-CNS and E-SA, respectively [p = 0.439]. Cardiac surgery was indicated in 50% of E-SA and 48% of E-CNS cases [p = 0.846]. The intra-hospital and 1-year mortality rates were 25% and 31% for E-CNS and 34% and 45% for E-SA [p = 0.699, p = 0.234].

Embolic complications, surgical management rate and mortality rates of E-SA and E-CNS were comparable, which may suggest a similar morbidity and mortality irrespective of the pathogen involved in IE.