Nosocomial Native Valve Endocarditis due to Methicillin-Susceptible Staphylococcus aureus in a Patient with Psoriatic Arthritis

Abstract

Summary: Nosocomial infective endocarditis is a relatively rare, but critical disease. A Japanese man in his 80s with psoriatic arthritis that was being treated with prednisolone was admitted for dyspnea. The first diagnosis was healthcare-associated pneumonia, and piperacillin/tazobactam was started. The patient’s blood culture was nega-tive at the time of admission. During the treatment, acute kidney injury occurred due to the use of antibiotics. Hemodialysis was performed via a central venous catheter in the internal jugular vein. After treatment of pneumo-nia, the patient experienced a sudden onset of fever accompanied by a loss of consciousness. Blood cultures from the peripheral vein and the central venous catheter were positive for methicillin-susceptible Staphylococcus aureus. A transthoracic echocardiography revealed stringy strands of vegetation attached to the native mitral valve. Magnetic resonance imagings also showed a shower of emboli to the brain. Ceftriaxone and vancomycin were administered; however, the patient died following a massive cerebral infarction. Instances of in-hospital mortality from nosocomial endocarditis are higher than the rates of community-acquired endocarditis. Clinicians should pay close attention to risk factors for nosocomial infective endocarditis. These risk factors include long-term indwelling vascular devices, psoriatic arthritis and corticosteroid therapy.