Infective endocarditis presentations during the COVID-19 pandemic: have they paid an untold toll?

: COVID-19 caused restrictions and re-allocation of medical resources among all healthcare services. During the peak of the pandemic, several unrelated-yet critical-conditions had silently taken their toll. Infective endocarditis (IE), owing to its non-specific clinical presentation, may have been largely mislabeled as COVID-19 in a number of cases.

Infective endocarditis in adult patients with congenital heart disease.

Background: Congenital Heart Disease (CHD) predisposes to Infective Endocarditis (IE), but data about characterization and prognosis of IE in CHD patients is scarce.

Methods: The ESC-EORP-EURO-ENDO study is a prospective international study in IE patients (n = 3111). In this pre-specified analysis, adult CHD patients (n = 365, 11.

Efficacy and speed of conversion of recent onset atrial fibrillation using oral propafenone versus parenteral amiodarone: A randomized controlled comparative study.

Background: Atrial fibrillation is the most commonly encountered arrhythmia. Several antiarrhythmic agents are effective in restoring and maintaining sinus rhythm.

Aim Of The Work: To compare the efficacy and rapidity of conversion of recent onset atrial fibrillation using oral propafenone versus intravenous infusion of amiodarone.

Impact of Cardiac Computed Tomographic Angiography on Diagnostic and Therapeutic Decisions in Patients with Suspected Prosthetic Heart Valve Dysfunction.

Introduction: Computed Tomography (CT) scan is a helpful tool to assess the coronary arteries and the great vessels. However, its routine use in the assessment of patients with suspected prosthetic valve dysfunction (PVD) has not been studied thoroughly.

Objective: To determine the impact of routine cardiac computed tomography angiography (CCTA) on diagnostic and therapeutic decisions in patients with suspected PVD.

Gender differences in clinical features and complications of infective endocarditis: 11-year experience of a single institute in Egypt.

Background: No data exists about the gender differences among patients with infective endocarditis (IE) in Egypt. The objective was to study possible gender differences in clinical profiles and outcomes of patients in the IE registry of a tertiary care center over 11 years.

Results: The IE registry included 398 patients with a median age of 30 years (interquartile range, 15 years); 61.

Clinical features and outcomes of infective endocarditis in Egypt: an 11-year experience at a tertiary care facility.

Background: Few data are available on the characteristics of infective endocarditis (IE) cases in Egypt. The aim of this work is to describe the characteristics and outcomes of IE patients and evaluate the temporal changes in IE diagnostic and therapeutic aspects over 11 years.

Results: The IE registry included 398 patients referred to the Endocarditis Unit of a tertiary care facility with the diagnosis of possible or definite IE.

Neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) and platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio (PLR) as independent predictors of outcome in infective endocarditis (IE).

Background: Early and accurate risk assessment is an important clinical demand in patients with infective endocarditis (IE). The neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) and platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio (PLR) are independent predictors of prognosis in many infectious and cardiovascular diseases. Very limited studies have been conducted to evaluate the prognostic role of these markers in IE.

The ESC-EORP EURO-ENDO (European Infective Endocarditis) registry.

Aims: The European Society of Cardiology (ESC) EURObservational Research Programme (EORP) European Endocarditis (EURO-ENDO) registry aims to study the care and outcomes of patients diagnosed with infective endocarditis (IE) and compare findings with recommendations from the 2015 ESC Clinical Practice Guidelines for the management of IE and data from the 2001 Euro Heart Survey.

Methods And Results: Patients (n = 3116) aged over 18 years with a diagnosis of IE based on the ESC 2015 IE diagnostic criteria were prospectively identified between 1 January 2016 and 31 March 2018. Individual patient data were collected across 156 centres and 40 countries.

Correction: Aspergillus endocarditis: Diagnostic criteria and predictors of outcome, A retrospective cohort study.

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.

Correction: Aspergillus endocarditis: Diagnostic criteria and predictors of outcome, A retrospective cohort study.

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.

Aspergillus endocarditis: Diagnostic criteria and predictors of outcome, A retrospective cohort study.

Background: Fungal Endocarditis (FE), a relatively rare disease, has a high rate of mortality and is associated with multiple morbidities. Aspergillus endocarditis (AE) is severe form of FE. Incidence of AE has increased and is expected to rise due to an increased frequency of invasive procedures, cardiac devices and prosthetic valves together with increased use of immune system suppressors.

Impact of routine cerebral CT angiography on treatment decisions in infective endocarditis.

Background: Infective endocarditis (IE) is commonly complicated by cerebral embolization and hemorrhage secondary to intracranial mycotic aneurysms (ICMAs). These complications are associated with poor outcome and may require diagnostic and therapeutic plans to be modified. However, routine screening by brain CT and CT angiography (CTA) is not standard practice.