Aetiology of renal failure in patients with infective endocarditis. The role of antibiotics.

Background And Objectives: The possible renal toxicity of certain antibiotics (AB) is well known. The objective of our work is to know the possible effect of AB treatments in the development of renal failure (RF) in patients with infective endocarditis (IE).

Material And Method: Collection from a national multi-centre registry of collection on renal function, both prior and its impairment, if any, during the treatment of IE and in relation to possible causative factors, including the use of AB.

Results: Between 2008 and 2012, 1,853 episodes of IE reported from 26 Spanish centres were analysed. Of these, 21.6% had prior RF. They developed new RF or impairment of renal function in 38.7% of the cases. In patients with prior RF, impairment was more frequent (64 vs. 31.7%, P<.001). Overall, patients with RF were older (70.6 vs. 67 years, P<.01), had more comorbidities (Charlson index 5 vs. 4, P<.01), and IE by Staphylococcus aureus (32.1 vs. 16.5%, P<.01). Potentially nephrotoxic AB use was only associated with RF in patients without prior RF (aminoglycosides: OR=1.47 [95% CI 1.096-1.988], P=.010; aminoglycosides with vancomycin: OR=1.49 [95% CI 1.069-2.09], P=.019).

Conclusions: In patients without prior RF, the use of nephrotoxic AB is associated with impairment of renal function. In patients with RF prior to the IE episode, impairment of renal function was more frequent but appears to be more related to the severity of infection.