Objective: To examine the clinical profile and treatment outcomes of infective endocarditis (IE) at a tertiary hospital in KwaZulu-Natal.
Methods: A 10-year retrospective analysis was conducted on cases of definite IE (modified Duke criteria).
Results: Ninety-seven subjects (HIV infected, n = 12) satisfied the study criteria (mean age 29.7 ± 15.6 years, M:F 1.4:1). Underlying rheumatic heart disease was present in 84.5% and severe dyspnoea in 67.0% of cases. Staphylococcus aureus was the commonest pathogen isolated (18.6%). Heart failure was present in 61.9% and vegetations were identified in 85 (87.6%) subjects, resulting in 41 (42.3%) embolic events. The clinical profile and outcomes were similar in the HIV-positive and -negative patients. Surgery was performed in 73 subjects (surgical mortality rate 9.5%, total mortality rate 26.4%). Multivariate analysis identified acute-onset IE [odds ratio (OR) 251.46, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.18-5343.63, p = 0.043], vegetation size > 15 mm (OR 222.60, 95% CI 1.04-4730.34, p = 0.043) and medical management only (OR 20.89, 95% CI 2.12-200.06, p = 0.037) as predictors for increased in-hospital mortality.
Conclusion: IE affects young people with underlying rheumatic heart disease and is associated with high morbi-mortality attributable to advanced disease at presentation and to haemodynamic failure resulting from valve destruction due to acute onset of aggressive infection.
Keywords: HIV positive; infective endocarditis; rheumatic heart disease; surgery; vegetations.