Right-sided infective endocarditis: recent epidemiologic changes

Abstract

Background: Infective endocarditis (IE) has been increasingly reported, however, little is available regarding recent development of right-sided IE.

Methods: Right-sided IE was comprehensively analyzed based on recent 5⅓-year literature.

Results: Portal of entry, implanted foreign material, and repaired congenital heart defects were the main predisposing risk factors. Vegetation size on the right-sided valves was much smaller than those beyond the valves. Multiple logistic regression analysis revealed that predisposing risk factors, and vegetation size and locations were independent predictive risks of patients' survival.

Conclusions: Changes of right-sided IE in the past 5⅓ years included younger patient age, and increased vegetation size, but still prominent Staphylococcus aureus infections. Complication spectrum has changed into more valve insufficiency, more embolic events, reduced abscess formation, and considerably decreased valve perforations. With effective antibiotic regimens, prognoses of the patients seemed to be better than before.

Keywords: Anti-bacterial agents; blood-borne pathogens; cardiac surgical procedures; complications; embolism.