Introduction and objectives: Recurrence of infection is observed in a high proportion of patients who have had infective endocarditis in the past. The aim of our study was to evaluate the possible differences between the first and the recurrent episodes of endocarditis, as well as to assess the outcome and prognosis of patients with recurrent endocarditis.
Patients and method: We reviewed a series of 13 episodes of recurrent endocarditis from among 196 cases of infective endocarditis involving non-drug-addict patients in two hospitals from 1987 to 2000.
Results: There were no differences between recurrent and first episodes of endocarditis according to age, sex, heart valve involved or causal microorganisms. Prosthetic valve endocarditis was more common in patients with recurrent endocarditis (86% versus 27%; p < 0.001). Although there were no differences in the rate of complications or early surgery, overall mortality was significantly higher in patients with recurrent endocarditis (53% versus 27%: p < 0.05). When early and late mortality were analysed separately, the differences did not achieve significance.
Conclusions: Recurrent endocarditis was frequent in our series (7% of all cases). The features were similar to those of the first episode except for a higher rate of prosthetic valve endocarditis and a higher overall mortality.