[Infectious endocarditis--a study of 153 cases].

The study describes 153 necropsy cases of infective endocarditis (IE) encountered in a university hospital over a period of 23 years (1970-1992), with necropsy incidence of 0.63%. The average age of patients at the time of death was 51.7 years. Both the incidence and the average age tended to increase during the period studied. The location of infective vegetations was mostly in the left heart and univalvular (mitral in 41%, aortic in 33%). The mitral valves involved by IE were otherwise normal in 62%; the aortic valves were normal in 33%. The spectrum of microorganisms yielded by postmortem cultivations is compared with that obtained by blood cultures during life. Staphylococcus aureus comprised 60% of all positive clinical blood cultures and 40% of all organisms grown postmortally. Gram-negative bacilli, streptococci and mycoses appeared as further important etiologic agents. Discussed in more detail are the subgroups of tricuspid valve IE (5% of all cases), IE in patients on chronic hemodialysis (17%), and IE involving prosthetic valves (9%).