Comparison of outcomes in patients with active infective endocarditis with versus without paravalvular abscess and with and without valve replacement.

In 82 patients with infective endocarditis, including 11 with a perivalvular abscess detected by transesophageal echocardiography, age was a significant predictor of in-hospital mortality (p <0.001). At 3.8-year follow-up, 5 of 7 patients with an abscess who had valve replacement and 2 of 4 patients with an abscess who did not have surgery survived (p = NS); 13 of 22 patients (59%) with no abscess who had valve replacement and 20 of 49 patients (41%) with no abscess who did not have surgery survived (p = NS).