General Features of Infective Endocarditis in the South-Eastern and Eastern Anatolia: A Retrospective, Multicenter Study

The present study aimed to evaluate general features of infective endocarditis (LE) in multiple tertiary university hospital. The study included 44 patients (23 women, 21 men; mean age 44 +/- 19 years; range 15 to 85 years) who were diagnosed as having definite IE, according to the modified Duke criteria, between June 2007 and June 2011. Data were reviewed on age, sex, underlying heart disease, echocardiographic and microbiological findings, treatment, complications, and mortality. Infective endocarditis developed on a native valve in 30 (72.7%), a mechanical prosthetic valve in 12 (27.3%). Prosthetic valves 12 (27.3%) were the most common preexisting valvular abnormality. The mitral valve was the most commonly affected valve in both native valves (50%) and prosthetic valves (66.6%). The most frequent symptom was fever (n=27, 61.4%). Electrocardiography showed abnormal findings in 22 cases (50%). Transthoracic and/or transesophageal echocardiography showed a vegetation in 41 cases (93.2%), and absce 3 cases (6.8%). Staphylococci (29.6%) and streptococci (25%) were the most common causative agents,and Brucella were 15.9%. Cultures were negative in 7 cases (15.9%). Nine patients (20.4%) underwent surgical treatment. Embolic events (n=6, 35.3%) were the major complications. In-hospital mortality occurred in 6 cases (13.6%). The data reflect epidemiological, clinical, and microbiological profile of IE in multiple tertiary hospital located in the South-eastern and Eastern Anatolia.