Mortality predictor parameters in infective endocarditis

While the death rate associated with infective endocarditis (IE) remains high, the parameters for predicting mortality are poorly defined.

Through a retrospective study of 100 patients with IE based on Duke criteria, our group evaluated the clinical and echocardiographic factors that most strongly correlate with intrahospital mortality.

The study included patients with native valves and prosthetic valves as well as patients with congenital cardiac disease.

The results were obtained using the chi-square and Fisher exact tests.

We observed a positive relation between mortality and age (P = 0.005), anemia (P = 0.047), neurological events (P = 0.0006), Janeway lesions (P = 0.0032), number of abnormalities on echocardiography (P = 0.047) and a tendency for a higher mortality related to cardiac heart failure (P = 0.105), renal insufficiency (P = 0.093), arthritis (P = 0.063), mitral valve involvement (P = 0.062), surgical indication (P = 0.076), and cardiac abscess (P = 0.081).

In conclusion, age, anemia, neurological events, number of echocardiographic abnormalities and Janeway lesions are strongly correlated with an increased mortality risk. The presence of cardiac heart failure, renal insufficiency, arthritis, mitral valve involvement, abscess and surgical indication show a tendency for the same correlation.