Duration of antibiotic prophylaxis for cardiac surgery: prospective observational study.

Objectives: To assess the effect of prolonging antibiotic prophylaxis in cardiac surgery.

Methods: Prospective before-after cohort study. In 2004, cefazolin was given pre- and intraoperatively at 1g doses while in 2007 it was continued after surgery for 24h.

Pericarditis as a presenting sign of infective endocarditis: two case reports and review of the literature.

Pericarditis as a presenting sign of infective endocarditis is rare. Here we describe 2 cases and an additional 19 cases of pericarditis as a presenting sign of infective endocarditis reported during the last 40 y. 71% of patients were young males (mean age 43.