Current diagnosis of infective endocarditis.

Area of Science:

• Cardiology
• Infectious Diseases
• Medical Diagnostics

Background:

• Infective endocarditis (IE) cases are rising, particularly among elderly patients.
• Prosthetic valve endocarditis (PVE) shows a significant increase.
• Combined valvular diseases are increasingly prevalent underlying conditions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To analyze causative organisms, antibiotic sensitivities, and clinical features of infective endocarditis.
• To identify key diagnostic parameters and prognostic indicators for IE.
• To evaluate the role of cardioechography in diagnosing and managing IE.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective analysis of 91 infective endocarditis cases.
• Review of causative organisms, antibiotic sensitivities, clinical presentations, and laboratory findings.
• Assessment of diagnostic utility of C-reactive protein (CRP), erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), leukocytosis, anemia, serum iron, and rheumatoid arthritis test (RA-T).
• Evaluation of cardioechography for detecting cardiac vegetation.

Main Results:

• Streptococcus viridans remains the most common pathogen, but resistant strains of Staphylococcus aureus, Staphylococcus epidermidis, and Streptococcus faecalis are increasing.
• Dental treatments are a primary identified cause of IE infection.
• Elevated CRP, ESR, leukocytosis, anemia, decreased serum iron, and positive RA-T correlate strongly with IE.
• Cardioechography is crucial for diagnosing cardiac vegetation, determining prognosis, and evaluating treatment efficacy.

Conclusions:

• IE is a growing concern, especially in elderly and PVE patients, with evolving causative organisms.
• A combination of clinical, laboratory (CRP, ESR, etc.), and imaging (cardioechography) methods is essential for accurate IE diagnosis and management.
• Early detection and appropriate antibiotic therapy guided by sensitivity testing are critical for improving outcomes in infective endocarditis.