Epidemiology, outcomes and prognosis of infective endocarditis in Northern Morocco.

INTRODUCTION: Infective endocarditis is a rare but potentially severe disease, associated with significant morbidity and mortality. Our study aims to describe the epidemiology and management aspects of endocarditis in northern Morocco and compare it with international management guidelines. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This is a retrospective study involving all patients hospitalized in the cardiology department of the University Hospital of Tangier for infective endocarditis over a period of 4 years and 7 months, from May 2019 to February 2024. RESULTS: Eighty patients were hospitalized for IE during the study period. The average age of the patients was 46 years, with an even sex ratio. IE concerned native valves in 77% of cases, mechanical prostheses in 19% of cases, and on bio prostheses in 4%. The average diagnostic delay was 25 days. Blood cultures were negative in 59% of cases. The predominant infective microorganism was the bacteria Staphylococcus (65.6%). Imaging results showed vegetations in 76.3% of cases, predominantly on the mitral valve (39.3%), followed by the aortic valve (21.3%). The main complications included heart failure (51.2%), peripheral arterial embolisms (22.5%) and splenic infarction (17.5%). Management wise, the most commonly used antibiotic therapy was a combination of ceftriaxone and gentamicin. Clinical and biological improvement was observed in 70% of cases, with a mortality rate of 12.5%. Twelve patients underwent surgery (15%). Urgent surgery was indicated in 66,7% of the operated patients. CONCLUSION: Our study highlights the challenges in managing infective endocarditis in northern Morocco. The prognosis of infective endocarditis can be improved through multidisciplinary management within the implementation of an Endocarditis Team.

Stable angina revealing a post-traumatic coronary cameral fistula: A case report.

Coronary-cameral fistulas are abnormal connections between coronary arteries and any of the heart chambers, It may be acquired or congenital (whether isolated or along with congenital heart diseases); It is usually asymptomatic in younger patients; but with increasing age, symptoms begin to appear, and the incidence of complication rises. Coronary angiography is the gold standard in diagnosis but echography and cardiac magnetic resonance imaging may be also useful. It can be treated medically with ß-blockers or calcium channel blockers, but large fistulas with hemodynamic significant shunts should be closed by transcatheter or surgical means. We present a 57-year-old patient with a history of chest trauma, that present fistulas connecting the 3 coronary arteries to the left ventricle chamber complicated by myocardial ischemia causing stable angina.

[Uncommon cause of acute coronary syndrome : Paradoxical embolism]. / Une cause rare de syndrome coronarien aigu : l'embolie paradoxale.

Coronary artery embolism is an uncommon cause of myocardial infarction (MI). Among several etiologies of coronary embolism, we mention a very rare cause which is the paradoxical embolism via patent foramen ovale (PFO). It interests generally youngest people without cardiac risk factors. We report three cases who presented ST-elevation MI (STEMI) due to paradoxical embolism with high risk PFO that can justify embolic infarction. The aim of this article is to define the high risk PFO, to establish causal link between PFO and embolic events and to guide therapeutic management.

[Inferior myocardial infarction: first Moroccan study of 103 cases]. / Infarctus du myocarde inférieur: première série marocaine, à propos de 103 cas.

Myocardial infarction (MI) is a major cause of cardiovascular mortality. Inferior MI accounts for 30-50% of infarctions but it is associated with a favorable prognosis compared to anterior infarct. This study aimed to study the epidemiological, clinical, electrical, echocardiographic, angiographic features of inferior MI, as well as its complications and its therapeutic approaches. Over a period of 3 years, we admitted 720 patients with STEMI, of whom 103 with inferior STEMI, reflecting a rate of 14.3%. There was a clear male predominance, with an average age of 58 years (men) and 62 years (women). Smoking was the main risk factor for cardiovascular disease (57.28% of patients were smokers). Right ventricular infarction was found in 11.65% of cases. Half of these patients had hemodynamic instability. Third-degree atrioventricular block was diagnosed in 12.6% of patients. Therapeutic approach was based on thrombolysis (7 patients) and coronary angiogram (42 patients). Inferior MI was caused by right coronary lesion in 53% of cases and circumflex artery occlusion in 47% of cases. Right coronary is responsible for right ventricular infarction in 100% of cases. Coronary angioplasty was performed in 18 patients after coronary angiogram. Eleven patients underwent transluminal coronary angioplasty in the right coronary while 2 patients underwent transluminal coronary angioplasty in the circumflex artery. Early mortality at 30 days was 1.94%. In the right ventricular infarction group mortality rate was about 17%.

[Perforated posterior mitral valve aneurysm: a rare complication of infective endocarditis: a case report]. / Perforation d'anévrysme de la valve mitrale postérieure: complication rare de l'endocardite infectieuse: à propos d'un cas.

Mitral valve aneurysm is a rare abnormality whose pathophysiology is poorly understood. It is defined as a bulge of the mitral valve leaflet toward the left atrium. Aneurysm in the posterior leaflet is exceptional. We report the case of a 26-year old man, who had been followed up for rheumatic aortic regurgitation for 4-years, hospitalized for febrile syndrome associated with episodes of left heart failure. Transthoracic echocardiographic examination (TTE) and transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) showed aortic valve vegetations with wide aneurysm of the small mitral valve associated with severe mitral valve regurgitation. The patient underwent mitral and aortic valve replacement with simple postoperative outcome. Clinical suspicion associated with suitable preoperative imaging and early surgical treatment are essential to recognize and treat this rare complication of infectious endocard.