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Query: UMLS:C0018799 (heart disease)
 34,133 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

To elucidate clinical features of infective endocarditis in the elderly, 20 elderly patients aged > or = 60 years were compared in detail with 30 others aged < 60 years retrospectively. Twelve of the 20 elderly patients had a calcific aortic valve or an artificial device as a predisposing heart disease, whereas 16 middle-aged patients had mitral valve prolapse or congenital heart disease (p = 0.001). The prevalence of major extracardiac disorders such as neurological disease were higher in the elderly than in the middle (9/20 vs 3/30; p < 0.01). The frequency of infected valve was similar; mitral in 8, aortic in 11 and other valves or congenital defect in 2 in the elderly versus 14, 11 and 6, respectively in the middle. Among 39 patients in whom causative microorganisms were identified, staphylococcus epidermidis was most frequently identified in the elderly (5/20), whereas streptococcus species was found in the middle (12/30). Time from the onset of symptoms to correct diagnosis was usually delayed in the entire group; the delay was longer particularly in the elderly than in the middle-aged patients (72 +/- 87 vs 36 +/- 32 days; p < 0.1). Maximal body temperature was less in the elderly than in the middle-aged patients (38.5 +/- 0.7 vs 39.3 +/- 1.1 degrees C; p < 0.01), whereas peak level of C-reactive protein (10.4 +/- 6.1 vs 13.0 +/- 7.9 mg/dL), the incidences of heart failure (9/20 vs 10/30), and embolic complications (7/20 vs 10/20) were similar in the 2 groups. Cardiac operation was performed less in the elderly than in the middle-aged patients (9/20 vs 21/30; p < 0.08). Five elderly patients had disease-related mortality, whereas only one middle-aged patient died (p = 0.02). These results suggest that although predisposing heart disease and causative microorganism in infective endocarditis are different between the elderly and middle-aged patients, the incidence of major complications are similar. However, due to the delay of correct diagnosis in the elderly who usually have major extracardiac disorders, the prognosis of infective endocarditis in the elderly is poor.
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PMID:[Infective endocarditis in the elderly]. 1143 69

A child with congenital heart disease developed infective endocarditis caused by Staphylococcus lugdunensis. Despite an apparent excellent response to initial antibiotic treatment in clinical, inflammatory and echocardiographic indices, the patient's valve damage progressed silently and surgical intervention was required. This case highlights the potential for misidentification of S. lugdunensis, its usual susceptibility to penicillin and in particular the aggressive nature of endocarditis caused by this coagulase-negative staphylococcus. The epidemiology and treatment of endocarditis caused by this organism are reviewed.
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PMID:The "surreptitious Staphylococcus": Staphylococcus lugdunensis endocarditis in a child. 1240 May 33

With infective endocarditis afflicting 15,000 patients each year and with a mortality rate that still hovers at almost 40%, the disease remains a very serious health problem. Surprisingly, the incidence has not declined over the last 30 years, and now with more health care interventions, such as pacer/defibrillators, and an increasingly elderly population with degenerative valvular heart disease, the number susceptible to endocarditis is actually increasing. Given the weak evidence for endocarditis prophylaxis, there remains a large population at risk. Much has been learned recently about the pathogenesis of endocarditis, including the role of endothelial damage, platelet adhesion, and microbial adherence to the vegetation or intact valvular tissue. Three-fourths of patients have preexisting structural heart disease. Once infection is manifest, major cardiac complications include congestive heart failure, embolization, mycotic aneurysms, renal dysfunction, and abscess formation. The diagnosis of endocarditis has been enhanced recently by modifications in the Duke criteria to include the use of transesophageal echocardiography and microbial antibody titers. Surgery continues to play an important role, with criteria for emergency, urgent, and early surgery now defined. The major organisms involved in infective endocarditis include streptococci and staphylococcus (representing 75% or so of all cases). Enterococcal infections account for many of the remaining cases, although small series and case reports suggest almost all organisms that infect humans can be implicated at times. A sizeable number of "culture-negative" cases still occur despite all the improvements in diagnostic methodology. Recent guidelines for the diagnosis, treatment, and management of infective endocarditis from the American Heart Association are reviewed and the issues surrounding prophylaxis are summarized. International cooperative databases are now being developed that hold promise for a continual reexamination of the epidemiology of this highly aggressive disease and may help provide sorely needed prospective trial data that will enhance our understanding and treatment.
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PMID:Update on infective endocarditis. 1654 54

The aim of the study was to describe the epidemiological and clinical aspects of native valve infective endocarditis (IE) in a Tunisian high-volume tertiary care center and to identify the predictors of outcome. Demographic, clinical, laboratory, and echocardiographic characteristics were examined in 134 patients who fulfilled the modified Duke criteria for native valve IE between January 1997 and December 2006. Logistic regression analysis was used to identify prognostic factors for death. Mean age was 34.22 years. Diagnosis was definite in 93% of cases. Median time to diagnosis was 21 days. Rheumatic heart disease (RHD) was the predominant (45%) underlying heart condition. One or more vegetations were detected in more than 93% of cases. The median size of vegetation was >15 mm in 28% of cases. In 66 cases (49%), cultures remained negative. Serology was positive in 15 cases, and in 4 cases leaflet culture identified the agent. The infective agent was identified in 87 cases (65%), causative microorganisms were mainly Staphylococci (n = 30, including 6 coagulase-negative Staphylococcus), and Streptococci (n = 32). Overall mortality was 19%. On multivariate analysis, congestive heart failure (hazard ratio = 5.34, 95% confidence interval 1.67 to 17.15, p = 0.005) and large vegetations (>15 mm; hazard ratio = 5.78, 95% confidence interval 1.84 to 18.32, p = 0.002) were predictive of in-hospital mortality but not neurological complications or staphylococcus IE. In conclusion, IE remains a serious disease affecting a young population in Tunisia, with RHD as still the most common underlying heart disease, and it is associated with a high mortality.
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PMID:Native valve infective endocarditis in a tertiary care center in a developing country (Tunisia). 1894 Mar 1


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