Contemporary Clinical Profile and Outcome of Prosthetic Valve Endocarditis
Article submitted by HMHB at 17:12, Thu 29 Mar 2007
PMID: 17392239
Objectives To describe the prevalence, clinical characteristics, and outcome of PVE, with attention to health care–associated infection, and to determine prognostic factors associated with in-hospital mortality.
Conclusions Prosthetic valve endocarditis accounts for a high percentage of all cases of infective endocarditis in many regions of the world. Staphylococcus aureus is now the leading cause of PVE. Health care–associated infection significantly influences the clinical characteristics and outcome of PVE. Complications of PVE strongly predict in-hospital mortality, which remains high despite prompt diagnosis and the frequent use of surgical intervention.
Conclusions Prosthetic valve endocarditis accounts for a high percentage of all cases of infective endocarditis in many regions of the world. Staphylococcus aureus is now the leading cause of PVE. Health care–associated infection significantly influences the clinical characteristics and outcome of PVE. Complications of PVE strongly predict in-hospital mortality, which remains high despite prompt diagnosis and the frequent use of surgical intervention.
Conflict of Interests - none