Bacterial endocarditis in England in the 1970's: a review of 70 patients.

The features of 70 cases of bacterial endocarditis are reported. Streptococcus viridans was the cause in 45 per cent, staphylococci in 27 per cent, and enterococci in 7 per cent. Rheumatic heart disease was the predisposing factor in less than one quarter of patients and in almost half there was no obvious pre-existing cardiac disease. Apart from cardiac murmurs and pyrexia, the classical features of infective endocarditis were uncommon, haematuria being observed in less than one-third. Most patients were over the age of 30, one-third more than 60 years of age and the peak incidence occurred in the seventh decade. The mortality was 34 per cent, being highest in infection caused by Staphylococcus aureus. Adverse prognostic features included cardiac failure, advanced age and peripheral embolization. One-third of infections were caused by bacteria resistant to penicillin.