Double-valve infective endocarditis: clinical features and prognostic impact-a retrospective study in a surgical centre.

Most cases of infective endocarditis (IE) involve a single valve, and little is known concerning IE that simultaneously affects two valves. The involvement of more than one valve may imply more severe and extensive cardiac lesions. In these patients, surgery may be challenging. We aimed to determine the clinical characteristics, the therapeutic strategy, and the prognostic impact of double-valve IE (DVIE). We retrospectively included in the analysis that 440 consecutive patients with definite active IE in a single surgical centre. DVIE occurred in 75 of the total enrolled 440 patients (17%) and involved mostly the combination of mitral and aortic valves (N = 63, 84%). Most patients had double-native IE (N = 45, 60%). Staphylococci were less frequent in patients with double-valve than single-valve IE (SVIE). The proportion of patients undergoing valve repair among those treated surgically was higher for patients with DVIE than for SVIE (p < 0.03). Valve repair of at least one valve was associated with non-significant better survival than double replacement. DVIE was associated with higher all-cause mortality than SVIE (p < 0.013) and a higher relapse rate (p = 0.023). DVIE was not associated with a higher risk of composite non-fatal adverse events. DVIE represents a considerable proportion of overall cases of IE, mainly involving aortic and mitral valves, with a jet lesion on the mitral valve; Staphylococcus is significantly less frequent than in SVIE; DVIE is independently associated with higher mortality and relapse rate; finally, mitral valve repair is feasible in a considerable proportion of surgical cases.

Carfilzomib-induced thrombotic microangiopathy. A case report.

INTRODUCTION: Drug-induced thrombotic microangiopathy (DITMA) is an acquired condition resulting from exposure to a drug that induces the formation of platelet-rich thrombi in small arterioles or capillaries secondary to drug-dependent antibodies or direct tissue toxicity. Carfilzomib is a selective proteasome inhibitor approved to treat selected patients with Multiple Myeloma (MM). It is one of the drugs with the strongest evidence for a causal association with non-antibody-mediated DITMA. CASE REPORT: A 75-year-old man presented to the emergency department for the outbreak of vomit, asthenia, oliguria and dark stool emission. He was recently diagnosed with multiple myeloma, treated with lenalidomide, dexamethasone and carfilzomib. Laboratory exams were significant for microangiopathic haemolytic anaemia, thrombocytopenia and new-onset renal failure. ADAMTS-13 levels were in range, and no infectious signs were found both in blood nor in stool test. MANAGEMENT & OUTCOME: A carfilzomib induced thrombotic microangiopathy was soon suspected. Thus, since daily haemodialysis and supportive care did not seem to get a fast enough recovery, the patient was treated with eculizumab with a good general outcome. DISCUSSION: Drug-induced thrombotic microangiopathy is a rare and often life-threatening acquired condition whose diagnosis can be challenging and whose therapy is not always limited to supportive treatment and drug avoidance. Carfilzomib, along with other proteasome inhibitors, is one of the described potential drugs which can trigger such a manifestation.

Infective endocarditis in intravenous drug abusers: clinical challenges emerging from a single-centre experience.

BACKGROUND: Intravenous drug abuse (IDA) is a known risk factor for infective endocarditis (IE) and is associated with frequent relapses, but its prognostic impact is still debated. The potential futility of surgery in this population is a further issue under discussion. We aimed to describe the clinical characteristics, the therapeutic strategy, and the prognosis associated with IDA in IE. METHODS: We retrospectively analysed 440 patients admitted to a single surgical centre for definite active IE from January 2012 to December 2020. RESULTS: Patients reporting IDA (N = 54; 12.2%) were significantly younger (p < 0.001) and presented fewer comorbidities (p < 0.001). IDA was associated with a higher proportion of relapses (27.8 vs. 3.3%, p < 0.001) and, at multivariable analysis, was an independent predictor of long-term mortality (HR 2.3, 95%CI 1.1-4.7, p = 0.015). We did not register multiple relapses in non-IDA patients. Among IDA patients, we observed 1 relapse after discharge in 9 patients, 2 relapses in 5 patients and 3 relapses in 1 patient. In IDA patients, neither clinical and laboratory variables nor the occurrence of even multiple relapses emerged as indicators of an adverse risk-benefit ratio of surgery in patients with surgical indication. CONCLUSIONS: IE secondary to IDA affects younger patients than those with IE not associated with IDA. Probably due to this difference, IE secondary to IDA is not associated with significantly higher mortality, whereas the negative, long-term prognostic impact of IDA emerges in multivariate analysis. Considering the good prognosis of patients with uncomplicated IE treated medically, surgery should be reserved to patients with a strict- guidelines-based indication. However, since there are no clear predictors of an unfavourable risk-benefit ratio of surgery in patients with surgical indication, all patients with a complicated IE should be operated, irrespective of a history of IDA.

Endocarditis with spondylodiscitis: clinical characteristics and prognosis.

BACKGROUND: The association of infective endocarditis (IE) with spondylodiscitis (SD) was first reported in 1965, but few data are available about this issue. This study aimed to evaluate the prevalence of SD in patients with IE, and to determine the clinical features and the prognostic impact of this association. METHODS: We retrospectively analysed 363 consecutive patients admitted to our Department with non-device-related IE. Radiologically confirmed SD was revealed in 29 patients (8%). Long-term follow-up (average: 3 years) was obtained by structured telephone interviews; in 95 cases (13 of whom had been affected by SD), follow-up echocardiographic evaluation was also available. RESULTS: At univariable analysis, the combination of IE with SD was associated with male gender (p = 0.017), diabetes (p = 0.028), drug abuse (p = 0.009), Streptococcus Viridans (p = 0.009) and Enterococcus (p = 0.015) infections. At multivariable analysis, all these factors independently correlated with presence of SD in patients with IE. Mortality was similar in patients with and without SD. IE relapses at 3 years were associated with the presence of SD (p = 0.003), Staphylococcus aureus infection (p < 0.001), and drug abuse (p < 0.001) but, at multivariable analysis, only drug abuse was an independent predictor of IE relapses (p < 0.001; HR 6.8, 95% CI 1.6-29). At echocardiographic follow-up, SD was not associated with worsening left ventricular systolic function or valvular dysfunction. CONCLUSIONS: The association of IE with SD is not rare. Hence, patients with IE should be screened for metastatic infection of the vertebral column, especially if they have risk factors for it. However, SD does not appear to worsen the prognosis of patients with IE, either in-hospital or long-term.

Predictors of mortality and adverse events in patients with infective endocarditis: a retrospective real world study in a surgical centre.

PURPOSE: Mortality in infective endocarditis (IE) is still high, and the long term prognosis remains uncertain. This study aimed to identify predictors of long-term mortality for any cause, adverse event rate, relapse rate, valvular and ventricular dysfunction at follow-up, in a real-world surgical centre. METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed 363 consecutive episodes of IE (123 women, 34%) admitted to our department with a definite diagnosis of non-device-related IE. Median follow-up duration was 2.9 years. Primary endpoints were predictors of mortality, recurrent endocarditis, and major non-fatal adverse events (hospitalization for any cardiovascular cause, pace-maker implantation, new onset of atrial fibrillation, sternal dehiscence), and ventricular and valvular dysfunction at follow-up. RESULTS: Multivariate analysis independent predictors of mortality showed age (HR per unit 1.031, p < 0.003), drug abuse (HR 3.5, p < 0.002), EUROSCORE II (HR per unit 1.017, p < 0.0006) and double valve infection (HR 2.3, p < 0.001) to be independent predictors of mortality, while streptococcal infection remained associated with a better prognosis (HR 0.5, p < 0.04). Major non-fatal adverse events were associated with age (HR 1.4, p < 0.022). New episodes of infection were correlated with S aureus infection (HR 4.8, p < 0.001), right-sided endocarditis (HR 7.4, p < 0.001), spondylodiscitis (HR 6.8, p < 0.004) and intravenous drug abuse (HR 10.3, p < 0.001). After multivariate analysis, only drug abuse was an independent predictor of new episodes of endocarditis (HR 8.5, p < 0.001). Echocardiographic follow-up, available in 95 cases, showed a worsening of left ventricular systolic function (p < 0.007); severe valvular dysfunction at follow-up was reported only in 4 patients, all of them had mitral IE (p < 0.03). CONCLUSIONS: The present study highlights some clinical, readily available factors that can be useful to stratify the prognosis of patients with IE.