Impact of age on clinical features and outcome of infective endocarditis

Excerpt

Some studies have demonstrated that in infective endocarditis (IE) older age is associated with a higher mortality rate [1, 2], higher frequency of mitral-valve involvement [3], renal failure, and cerebral embolism [4]. In the study presented here, we aimed to analyze the clinical features of IE and to delineate short- and long-term outcome of IE in children, young adults and elderly patients. Charts of all patients definitively diagnosed with IE from January 1987 through December 1996 were identified (n=228) and grouped according to age: group I included patients aged 1–15 years; group II, patients aged 16–40 years; group III, patients aged 41–60 years; and group IV, patients aged ≥61 years. For each patient, data on demographics, clinical features, and outcome were collected. Statistical analyses were performed using ANOVA, chi-square, and Cox regression for multivariable analysis of survival (SPSS Corporation, Chicago, IL, USA). …