Coagulase-negative staphylococcal endocarditis: a view from the community hospital

Review of our experience with infectious endocarditis at a single community hospital showed coagulase-negative staphylococci to be our leading cause of endocarditis. The pathogenesis of coagulase-negative staphylococcal endocarditis (CNSE) involved either hematogenous seeding of native or prosthetic valves, or direct implantation at surgery. Cases involving native valves demonstrated an acute onset and rapidly deteriorating course, while prosthetic valve endocarditis was more indolent; both types were associated with multiple complications. Although the number of our cases is small, mortality from native valve CNSE was higher than that of prosthetic valve endocarditis. Patients treated medically fared better than those receiving both medical and surgical treatment, though the medically treated group may not have been as ill as those having valve replacement. Vancomycin caused serious adverse effects in two of the five patients receiving it.