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Comparison of infective endocarditis in patients with and without previously recognized heart disease
C Selton-Suty1, B Hoen, F Delahaye
1Service de Cardiologie, CHU de Nancy, France.
Insights
Infective endocarditis presents differently in patients with and without prior heart disease. Those without prior conditions more frequently develop aortic valve infections caused by specific bacteria like Streptococcus bovis.
Area of Science:
- Cardiology
- Infectious Diseases
- Valvular Heart Disease
Background:
- Infective endocarditis (IE) is a serious infection affecting heart valves.
- Understanding variations in IE presentation based on patient history is crucial for diagnosis and treatment.
- Native valve endocarditis (NVE) and endocarditis in patients without prior heart disease may have distinct epidemiological and etiological characteristics.
Purpose of the Study:
- To compare the clinical and etiological features of infective endocarditis in patients with and without previously known heart disease.
- To identify differences in valve involvement and causative microorganisms between these two groups.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective chart review of consecutive patients diagnosed with infective endocarditis.
- Comparison of two groups: 123 non-addicted patients without prior heart disease and 174 patients with native valve disease.
- Analysis of patient demographics, clinical findings, affected valves, causative organisms, and mortality rates.
Main Results:
- The two groups were comparable in age, sex, clinical presentation, and mortality.
- Infective endocarditis was more frequently located on the aortic valve in patients without previously known heart disease.
- Infective endocarditis in patients without prior heart disease was more often caused by Streptococcus bovis and enterococci.
Conclusions:
- The etiological and topographical patterns of infective endocarditis differ between patients with and without pre-existing heart conditions.
- Aortic valve involvement and specific bacterial etiologies (Streptococcus bovis, enterococci) are more characteristic of IE in individuals without prior heart disease.
- These findings may inform targeted diagnostic and therapeutic strategies for infective endocarditis.
Abstract:
In a consecutive series of patients with infective endocarditis, we compared the charts of 123 nonaddicted patients without previously known heart disease with those of 174 patients with native valve disease. The 2 groups were similar in age, sex, clinical findings, and mortality rates, but infective endocarditis was more often located on the aortic valve, more often due to Streptococcus bovis and enterococci in patients without previously known heart disease.