Short- and Long-term Outcomes of Medically Treated Isolated Left-Sided Endocarditis: A Retrospective Study With 5-Year Longitudinal Follow-up.

BACKGROUND

A retrospective study of medically treated isolated left-sided infective endocarditis (LSIE) patients identifying predictors of outcomes with nonoperative management was undertaken.

METHODS

Medical records of 135 Manitoban medically managed LSIE patients from January 2004 to December 2016 were reviewed. Five-year survival for 135 patients and hospitalization data till March 2016 for 65 patients were collected from the Manitoba Centre for Health Policy.

RESULTS

In-hospital mortality was 44%. Patients with surgical indications were more likely to die in-hospital than those without (53% vs 24%; P = 0.002). Survival at 1 and 5 years was 43% and 23%, respectively. All-cause readmission at 1 and 5 years was 64% and 84%, respectively. At 1 and 5 years, readmission from major adverse events (heart failure, stroke, endocarditis) was 25% and 47%, and from recurrent endocarditis was 17% and 26%, respectively. Severe valvular regurgitation was a risk factor for in-hospital mortality (odds ratio, 3.52; P = 0.022), poor long-term survival (hazard ratio [HR], 2.57; P < 0.001), and recurrent endocarditis (HR, 5.93; P < 0.001). Prosthetic valve endocarditis was a risk factor for poor long-term survival (HR, 2.11; P = 0.002). Streptococcus viridans group was associated with better rates of in-hospital mortality (odds ratio, 0.28; P = 0.018) and long-term survival (HR, 0.34; P < 0.001).

CONCLUSIONS

Nonoperative management of LSIE carries a poor prognosis but may have a role in select cases. Surgical management remains the mainstay for patients with clear surgical indications, including severe regurgitation and prosthetic valve endocarditis. Further prospective analyses are required to better delineate appropriate patient selection for nonsurgical management.