Epidemiology of infective endocarditis in south Bohemia

Abstract

Purpose and methods: The characteristics of infective endocarditis (IE) have long been changing. The aim of the present study was to map the incidence of IE in south Bohemia in the 2013-2019 period and to review the current status of the disease. Using an unselected retrospective group of patients diagnosed with IE in the 2013-2019 period, we analyzed the incidence in individual years, characteristics of infection, pathogens therapeutic strategy and mortality. Subgroups of patients with IE caused by Staphylococcus aureus (STAU) bacteria and streptococci were assessed separately. Results: Overall, 171 cases of IE with an incidence of 3.4 cases per 100,000 inhabitants/year were identifi ed. The whole group of patients included 59% of cases of native valve endocarditis (NVE), 30% of prosthetic valve endocarditis (PVE) and 11% of cardiac device-related infective endocarditis (CDRIE). The most frequent pathogen was Staphylococcus aureus accounting for 38% of all cases. A total of 58% of patients with IE involving the valve apparatus had cardiac surgery with in-hospital and all-cause mortality rates of 28% and 35%, respectively. While the mortality rate of patients receiving conservative therapy was initially lower (in-hospital mortality, 21%), all-cause mortality in this patient subgroup was as high as 58.5%. Mortality from STAU IE, both in-hospital and all-cause, was higher in all characteristics. Conclusion: Results of our analysis are consistent with published data on trends in aging of the population of IE patients, increasing proportion of PVE and a high proportion of STAU in terms of etiology. In line with published data, mortality from the disease remains high.