Marques et al reported risk factors for in-hospital mortality for a patient with infective endocarditis. These can help to identify a patient who may benefit from more aggressive management. The authors are from Hospital Garcia de Orta EPE and Universidade de Lisboa in Portugal.
Patient selection: hospitalized patient with infective endocarditis (IE)
Outcome: in-hospital mortality
Frequency of outcome: 31%
Risk factors for mortality:
(1) infection due to Staphylococcus aureus (OR 6.5)
(2) negative blood cultures (OR 9.1)
(3) evidence of valve obstruction on echocardiography (OR 8.6)
(4) heart failure (OR 5.0)
(5) septic shock (OR 20.3)
(6) cardiac surgery (OR 0.14, protective)
Most of the patients who died were not candidates for cardiac surgery or died before surgery could be performed.
