Surgical treatment for infectious endocarditis in China

This important topic of infectious endocarditis (IE) has been covered previously with large multicenter studies and reviews of national databases, most of which come from developed countries. While studies on IE in developing countries such as China are rare, a study of IE undergoing cardiac surgery in China was conducted to investigate retrospective risk factors for hospital mortality of cardiac surgery for IE. This study of patients with IE receiving cardiac surgery in the research period at our medical center was performed retrospectively; 896 patients were assigned to the hospital mortality group (n = 48) and none hospital mortality group (n = 848). Forty-eight operative deaths (5.4%) occurred. Binary logistic regression analysis for independent risk factors for hospital mortality indicated that neurological complications preoperative, destructive annulus, preoperative mitral insufficiency, postoperative left ventricular ejection fractions, and paravalvular leak are related to hospital mortality (all P < .001). We identified modifiable risk factors for hospital mortality of cardiac surgery for IE. Early and timely diagnosis and surgery, advancement of surgical techniques, and excellent cardiac protection may decrease hospital mortality for IE.