Long-term follow-up of patients with infective endocarditis in a tertiary referral center.

Background: Infective endocarditis (IE) remains a severe disease with high mortality. Most studies report on short-term outcome while real world long-term outcome data are scarce. This study reports reinfection rates and mortality data during long-term follow-up.

(18)F-FDG PET/CT for early detection of embolism and metastatic infection in patients with infective endocarditis.

Purpose: In the acute setting of endocarditis it is very important to assess both the vegetation itself, as well as potential life-threatening complications, in order to decide whether antibiotic therapy will be sufficient or urgent surgery is indicated. A single whole-body scan investigating inflammatory changes could be very helpful to achieve a swift and efficient assessment.

Methods: In this study we assessed whether (18)F-FDG can be used to detect and localize peripheral embolism or distant infection.

Clinical and echocardiographic risk factors for embolism and mortality in infective endocarditis.

Data about predictors of embolism in patients with infective endocarditis (IE) are conflicting. This study aimed to investigate clinical and transoesophageal echocardiography (TEE) characteristics in predicting embolism and six-month mortality. In this observational cohort study, 216 patients with definite left-sided IE, according to the modified Duke criteria, were prospectively recruited.

Outcome of patients requiring valve surgery during active infective endocarditis.

Background: The optimal timing of cardiac operations in patients with infective endocarditis continues to be debated. This observational study analyzed the profile and outcome of patients with active infective endocarditis undergoing operations.

Methods: Between June 2000 and June 2006, 95 surgically treated patients with definite infective endocarditis by the modified Duke criteria were included.

Management of prosthetic valve infective endocarditis.

This study analyzed the profile and outcome of surgically versus medically treated patients with prosthetic valve infective endocarditis (PVE). From 2000 to 2006, 80 patients >16 years of age (median 71) with definite PVE according to modified Duke criteria were included. The medically treated group was separated into deliberately conservative and perforce conservative treatments, the latter group including patients with contraindications to a cardiosurgical intervention.

Abscess in infective endocarditis: the value of transesophageal echocardiography and outcome: a 5-year study.

Background: In patients with infective endocarditis (IE), detection of abscess remains difficult. We investigated abscess detection by transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) and predictors of abscess and death in patients with IE.

Methods: A 5-year study included 115 patients with definite IE according to the modified Duke criteria who underwent TEE and cardiac surgery.

Risk factors for infective endocarditis and outcome of patients with Staphylococcus aureus bacteremia.

Objective: To investigate the risk factors for Staphylococcus aureus infective endocarditis (SAIE) and 6-month mortality in patients with S aureus bacteremia (SAB).

Patients And Methods: This study consisted of patients who were diagnosed as having nosocomial or community-acquired SAB or SAIE between June 1, 2000, and December 31, 2005. Clinical characteristics of patients with SAB were compared with those of patients with SAIE, and predictors of mortality in patients with SAB were analyzed.

Infective endocarditis: changing epidemiology and predictors of 6-month mortality: a prospective cohort study.

Aims: The aim here is to analyse epidemiology, optimal treatment, and predictors of 6-month mortality in infective endocarditis (IE).

Methods And Results: A prospective observational cohort study included 193 patients with 203 episodes of definite IE by the modified Duke criteria. Thirty-four percent of episodes involved prosthetic valves.