Infective endocarditis in a Finnish tertiary care hospital: from etiology to embolic events

• Published in: Annals of medicine (Helsinki) 2024-12, Vol.56 (1), p.2415405
• Main Authors: Ahtela, Elina, Kytö, Ville, Vahlberg, Tero, Hohenthal, Ulla, Ekström, Tommi, Porela, Pekka, Oksi, Jarmo
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adult; Aged; cerebral embolism; embolic event; Embolism - epidemiology; Embolism - etiology; Embolism - microbiology; Endocarditis - epidemiology; Endocarditis - microbiology; Endocarditis, Bacterial - epidemiology; Endocarditis, Bacterial - microbiology; Enterococcus - isolation & purification; etiology; Female; Finland - epidemiology; Humans; Infectious Diseases; Infective endocarditis; Intracranial Embolism - epidemiology; Intracranial Embolism - etiology; Intracranial Embolism - microbiology; Male; Middle Aged; Retrospective Studies; Risk Factors; Staphylococcal Infections - complications; Staphylococcal Infections - epidemiology; Staphylococcal Infections - microbiology; Staphylococcus aureus - isolation & purification; Tertiary Care Centers - statistics & numerical data; Viridans Streptococci - isolation & purification
• ISSN: 0785-3890; 1365-2060; 1365-2060
• DOI: 10.1080/07853890.2024.2415405

In this study in a tertiary care hospital, we examined the characteristics of the different microbial etiologies of infective endocarditis (IE) and the factors associated with embolic events. We included patients (aged ≥18 years) hospitalized for IE in Turku University Hospital in Finland between 2004-2017. Patient data were derived retrospectively from the mandatory database and patient record system. Among 342 IE cases in 321 patients, was isolated in 33.9%, viridans group streptococci in 18.3% and enterococci in 8.8% of the cases. Patients with enterococcal IE had more often a prosthetic valve (