Background: Stroke is a common complication of infective endocarditis (IE). Our aim was to describe the prevalence and prognostic impact of stroke in a national cohort of IE.
Methods: Consecutive inclusion at 46 Spanish hospitals between 2008 and 2021.
Results: Out of 5667 IE cases, 1125 had acute stroke (19.8%): 818 ischemic strokes (811 cardioembolic strokes (193 with hemorrhagic transformation), 4 transient ischemic attacks, 3 lacunar infarctions), 127 intracranial hemorrhages, and 27 other neurological complications (cerebral abscesses, encephalitis, and meningitis). Compared to patients without stroke, those with stroke had a similar mean age (69 years) but were more frequently female (68.2% vs 63.7%, p = 0.04) and had a higher incidence of intracardiac complications (35% vs 30%, p = 0.01), surgical indication (69.9% vs 65.9%, p = 0.001), in-hospital mortality (40.9% vs 22.0%, p < 0.001), and 1-year mortality (46.2% vs 27.9%, p < 0.001). The following variables were independently associated with stroke: mitral location (odds ratio (OR) = 1.5, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.34-1.8, p < 0.001), vascular phenomenon (OR = 2.9, 95% CI = 2.4-3.6, p = 0.0001), acute renal failure (OR = 1.2, 95% CI = 1.0-1.4, p = 0.021), septic shock (OR = 1.3, 95% CI = 1.1-1.6, p = 0.007), sepsis (OR = 1.3, 95% CI = 1.1-1.6, p = 0.005), surgery indicated but not performed (OR = 1.4, 95% CI = 1.2-1.7, p < 0.001), community-acquired IE (OR = 1.2, 95% CI = 1-1.4, p = 0.017), and peripheral embolization (OR = 1.6, 95% CI = 1.4-1.9, p < 0.001). Stroke was an independent predictor of in-hospital (OR = 2.1, 95% CI = 1.78-2.51, p < 0.001) and 1-year mortality (hazard ratio = 1.9, 95% CI = 1.6-2.5).
Conclusion: One-fifth of patients with IE have concomitant stroke. Stroke is associated with mortality.
Keywords: Infective endocarditis; emboli; mortality; prognosis; stroke.