Association of infective endocarditis with age: a 21 years experience

Abstract:

Infective endocarditis (IE) is a life threatening disease. Reviews of foreign studies showed an increasing incidence of endocarditis in patients over age 60 and they have drawn disparate conclusions regarding the differences between the clinical features and prognosis of infective endocarditis in elderly and younger patients. Other studies pointed out the atypical presentation in elderly patients thus resulting in delays in initiating the appropriate treatment in this group of patients. This cross sectional study, done at the Philippine Heart Center, aims to determine the clinical and microbiologic profile and outcome of infective endocarditis in elderly patients over age 60 years and compare these with IE in younger patients Charts of patients with discharge diagnoses of infective endocarditis from December 1979 to December 2001 were reviewed. The following were obtained: age, sex, source of infection, preexisting disease, presenting signs and symptoms, valve involvement, microbiology, complications, and initial diagnosis. Outcome measures include permanent disability requiring long-term care, determination of patients who were functional at home, and mortality during confinement. Comparison was done between younger patients aged 18-60 years old and elderly patients more than 60 years old. Statistical analysis using fisher exact probability test was used. A total of 239 patients were discharged with the diagnosis of infective endocarditis from December 1979 to December 2001. Of these patients, 131 satisfied the Duke’s clinical criteria for the definitive diagnosis for infective endocarditis and were included in the study population. One hundred …

Año de publicación:

2002

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