Candida Infective Endocarditis in Patients With Candida spp. Bloodstream Infection: Risk Factors and 1- Year

Tarsila Vieceli1, Betina Maria Giordani1,2, Gabriel Azeredo de Magalhães2

  • 1Infectious Diseases Service, Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre, Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil.

Mycoses
|February 9, 2025
PubMed

Insights

This study found that age and Candida parapsilosis complex are predictors of infective endocarditis (IE) in patients with Candida bloodstream infections (BSI). Echocardiograms may improve IE diagnosis and survival rates.

Area of Science:

  • Infectious Diseases
  • Cardiology
  • Critical Care Medicine

Background:

  • Candida spp. bloodstream infections (BSI) can lead to infective endocarditis (IE), a serious complication.
  • Limited data exists on risk factors for IE and mortality following Candida spp. BSI, especially in resource-limited settings.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To assess risk factors for IE and evaluate outcomes, including 1-year mortality, in patients with Candida spp. BSI.
  • To identify predictors of IE in this patient population.

Main Methods:

  • Retrospective case-control and cohort study involving adult patients with Candida spp. BSI.
  • Inclusion criteria required echocardiograms within 3 days before diagnosis and during hospitalization.
  • IE diagnosis followed the modified Duke criteria.

Main Results:

  • 164 patients were studied; 6.1% were diagnosed with IE.
  • Independent predictors for IE were older age and infection with Candida parapsilosis complex.
  • No significant difference in 1-year mortality was observed between patients with and without IE.

Conclusions:

  • Systematic echocardiography in all patients with Candida spp. BSI may enhance IE diagnosis.
  • Early diagnosis through echocardiography could potentially improve patient survival rates.
Abstract