Streptococcal species as a prognostic factor for mortality in patients with streptococcal bloodstream infections.

PURPOSE: Streptococcal bloodstream infections (BSIs) are common, yet prognostic factors are poorly investigated. We aimed to investigate the mortality according to streptococcal species and seasonal variation. METHODS: Patients with streptococcal BSIs from 2008 to 2017 in the Capital Region of Denmark were investigated, and data were crosslinked with nationwide registers for the identification of comorbidities. A multivariable logistic regression analysis was performed to assess mortality according to streptococcal species and season of infection. RESULTS: Among 6095 patients with a streptococcal BSI (mean age 68.1 years), the 30-day mortality was 16.1% and the one-year mortality was 31.5%. With S. pneumoniae as a reference, S. vestibularis was associated with a higher adjusted mortality both within 30 days (odds ratio (OR) 2.89 [95% confidence interval (CI) 1.20-6.95]) and one year (OR 4.09 [95% CI 1.70-9.48]). One-year mortality was also higher in S. thermophilus, S. constellatus, S. parasanguinis, S. salivarius, S. anginosus, and S. mitis/oralis. However, S. mutans was associated with a lower one-year mortality OR 0.44 [95% CI 0.20-0.97], while S. gallolyticus was associated with both a lower 30-day (OR 0.42 [95% CI 0.26-0.67]) and one-year mortality (OR 0.66 [95% CI 0.48-0.93]). Furthermore, with infection in the summer as a reference, patients infected in the winter and autumn had a higher association with 30-day mortality. CONCLUSIONS: The mortality in patients with streptococcal BSI was associated with streptococcal species. Further, patients with streptococcal BSIs infected in the autumn and winter had a higher risk of death within 30 days, compared with patients infected in the summer.

Streptococcal infective endocarditis: clinical features and outcomes according to species.

PURPOSE: Infective endocarditis (IE) is frequently caused by streptococcal species, yet clinical features and mortality are poorly investigated. Our aim was to examine patients with streptococcal IE to describe clinical features and outcomes according to streptococcal species. METHODS: From 2002 to 2012, we investigated patients with IE admitted to two tertiary Danish heart centres. Adult patients with left-sided streptococcal IE were included. Adjusted multivariable logistic regression analyses were performed, to assess the association between streptococcal species and heart valve surgery or 1-year mortality. RESULTS: Among 915 patients with IE, 284 (31%) patients with streptococcal IE were included [mean age 63.5 years (SD 14.1), 69% men]. The most frequent species were S. mitis/oralis (21%) and S. gallolyticus (17%). Fever (86%) and heart murmur (81%) were common symptoms, while dyspnoea was observed in 46%. Further, 18% of all cases were complicated by a cardiac abscess/pseudoaneurysm and 25% by an embolic event. Heart valve surgery during admission was performed in 55% of all patients, and S. gallolyticus (OR 0.28 [95% CI 0.11-0.69]) was associated with less surgery compared with S. mitis/oralis. In-hospital mortality was 7% and 1-year mortality 15%, without any difference between species. CONCLUSION: S. mitis/oralis and S. gallolyticus were the most frequent streptococcal species causing IE. Further, S. gallolyticus IE was associated with less heart valve surgery during admission compared with S. mitis/oralis IE. Being aware of specific symptoms, clinical findings, and complications related to different streptococcal species, may help the clinicians in expecting different outcomes.

Proposal for the use of echocardiography in bloodstream infections due to different streptococcal species.

BACKGROUND: Infective endocarditis (IE) is diagnosed in 7-8% of streptococcal bloodstream infections (BSIs), yet it is unclear when to perform transthoracic (TTE) and transoesophageal echocardiography (TOE) according to different streptococcal species. The aim of this sub-study was to propose a flowchart for the use of echocardiography in streptococcal BSIs. METHODS: In a population-based setup, we investigated all patients admitted with streptococcal BSIs and crosslinked data with nationwide registries to identify comorbidities and concomitant hospitalization with IE. Streptococcal species were divided in four groups based on the crude risk of being diagnosed with IE (low-risk < 3%, moderate-risk 3-10%, high-risk 10-30% and very high-risk > 30%). Based on number of positive blood culture (BC) bottles and IE risk factors (prosthetic valve, previous IE, native valve disease, and cardiac device), we further stratified cases according to probability of concomitant IE diagnosis to create a flowchart suggesting TTE plus TOE (IE > 10%), TTE (IE 3-10%), or "wait & see" (IE < 3%). RESULTS: We included 6393 cases with streptococcal BSIs (mean age 68.1 years [SD 16.2], 52.8% men). BSIs with low-risk streptococci (S. pneumoniae, S. pyogenes, S. intermedius) are not initially recommended echocardiography, unless they have ≥3 positive BC bottles and an IE risk factor. Moderate-risk streptococci (S. agalactiae, S. anginosus, S. constellatus, S. dysgalactiae, S. salivarius, S. thermophilus) are guided to "wait & see" strategy if they neither have a risk factor nor ≥3 positive BC bottles, while a TTE is recommended if they have either ≥3 positive BC bottles or a risk factor. Further, a TTE and TOE are recommended if they present with both. High-risk streptococci (S. mitis/oralis, S. parasanguinis, G. adiacens) are directed to a TTE if they neither have a risk factor nor ≥3 positive BC bottles, but to TTE and TOE if they have either ≥3 positive BC bottles or a risk factor. Very high-risk streptococci (S. gordonii, S. gallolyticus, S. mutans, S. sanguinis) are guided directly to TTE and TOE due to a high baseline IE prevalence. CONCLUSION: In addition to the clinical picture, this flowchart based on streptococcal species, number of positive blood culture bottles, and risk factors, can help guide the use of echocardiography in streptococcal bloodstream infections. Since echocardiography results are not available the findings should be confirmed prospectively with the use of systematic echocardiography.

Prevalence of Infective Endocarditis in Streptococcal Bloodstream Infections Is Dependent on Streptococcal Species.

BACKGROUND: Streptococci frequently cause infective endocarditis (IE), yet the prevalence of IE in patients with bloodstream infections (BSIs) caused by different streptococcal species is unknown. We aimed to investigate the prevalence of IE at species level in patients with streptococcal BSIs. METHODS: We investigated all patients with streptococcal BSIs, from 2008 to 2017, in the Capital Region of Denmark. Data were crosslinked with Danish nationwide registries for identification of concomitant hospitalization with IE. In a multivariable logistic regression analysis, we investigated the risk of IE according to streptococcal species adjusted for age, sex, ≥3 positive blood culture bottles, native valve disease, prosthetic valve, previous IE, and cardiac device. RESULTS: Among 6506 cases with streptococcal BSIs (mean age 68.1 years [SD 16.2], 52.8% men) the IE prevalence was 7.1% (95% CI, 6.5-7.8). The lowest IE prevalence was found with Streptococcus pneumoniae (S pneumoniae) 1.2% (0.8-1.6) and Spyogenes 1.9% (0.9-3.3). An intermediary IE prevalence was found with Sanginosus 4.8% (3.0-7.3), Ssalivarius 5.8% (2.9-10.1), and Sagalactiae 9.1% (6.6-12.1). The highest IE prevalence was found with Smitis/oralis 19.4% (15.6-23.5), Sgallolyticus (formerly Sbovis) 30.2% (24.3-36.7), Ssanguinis 34.6% (26.6-43.3), Sgordonii 44.2% (34.0-54.8), and Smutans 47.9% (33.3-62.8). In multivariable analysis using S pneumoniae as reference, all species except S pyogenes were associated with significantly higher IE risk, with the highest risk found with S gallolyticus odds ratio (OR) 31.0 (18.8-51.1), S mitis/oralis OR 31.6 (19.8-50.5), S sanguinis OR 59.1 (32.6-107), S gordonii OR 80.8 (43.9-149), and S mutans OR 81.3 (37.6-176). CONCLUSIONS: The prevalence of IE in streptococcal BSIs is species dependent with S mutans, S gordonii, S sanguinis, S gallolyticus, and S mitis/oralis having the highest IE prevalence and the highest associated IE risk after adjusting for IE risk factors.

Prevalence of Infective Endocarditis in Enterococcus faecalis Bacteremia.

BACKGROUND: Enterococcus faecalis is the third most frequent cause of infective endocarditis (IE). Despite this, no systematic prospective echocardiography studies have examined the prevalence of IE in patients with E. faecalis bacteremia. OBJECTIVES: This study sought to determine the prevalence of IE in patients with E. faecalis bacteremia. The secondary objective was to identify predictors of IE. METHODS: From January 1, 2014, to December 31, 2016, a prospective multicenter study was conducted with echocardiography in consecutive patients with E. faecalis bacteremia. Predictors of IE were assessed using multivariate logistic regression with backward elimination. RESULTS: A total of 344 patients with E. faecalis bacteremia were included, all examined using echocardiography, including transesophageal echocardiography in 74% of the cases. The patients had a mean age of 74.2 years, and 73.5% were men. Definite endocarditis was diagnosed in 90 patients, resulting in a prevalence of 26.1 ± 4.6% (95% confidence interval [CI]). Risk factors for IE were prosthetic heart valve (odds ratio [OR]: 3.93; 95% CI: 1.76 to 8.77; p = 0.001), community acquisition (OR: 3.35; 95% CI: 1.74 to 6.46; p < 0.001), ≥3 positive blood culture bottles (OR: 3.69; 95% CI: 1.88 to 7.23; p < 0.001), unknown portal of entry (OR: 2.36; 95% CI: 1.26 to 4.40; p = 0.007), monomicrobial bacteremia (OR: 2.73; 95% CI: 1.23 to 6.05; p = 0.013), and immunosuppression (OR: 2.82; 95% CI: 1.20 to 6.58; p = 0.017). CONCLUSIONS: This study revealed a high prevalence of 26% definite IE in patients with E. faecalis bacteremia, suggesting that echocardiography should be considered in all patients with E. faecalis bacteremia.

Staphylococcus aureus Bacteremia in Children Aged 5-18 Years-Risk Factors in the New Millennium.

OBJECTIVES: To assess the association between comorbidities and Staphylococcus aureus bacteremia in children aged 5-18 years, thus, in children with a matured immune system. Further, we aimed to identify presumably healthy children acquiring bacteremia. STUDY DESIGN: By cross-linking nationwide registries, we consecutively included all children born from 1995 onward at their 5-year birthday or date of immigration during 2000-2015. We examined incidence rate ratios (IRR) between preselected exposures and microbiologically verified S aureus bacteremia (reference = children without exposure) using Poisson regression models. RESULTS: We followed 1 109 169 children in 2000-2015 during which 307 children (incidence rate: 3.7 per 100 000 person-years) acquired S aureus bacteremia (methicillin-resistant S aureus = 8; 2.6%). Children without known comorbidities or recent contact with the healthcare system comprised 37.1% of infected children. The highest IRRs were observed in children undergoing dialysis or plasmapheresis (IRR = 367.2 [95% CI) = 188.5-715.3]), children with organ transplantation (IRR = 149.5 [95% CI = 73.9-302.2]), and children with cancer (IRR = 102.9 [95% CI = 74.4-142.2]). Positive associations also were observed in children with chromosomal anomalies (IRR = 7.16 [95% CI = 2.96-17.34]), atopic dermatitis (IRR = 4.89 [95% CI = 3.11-7.69]), congenital heart disease (IRR = 3.14 [95% CI = 1.92-5.11]), and in children undergoing surgery (IRR = 3.34 [95% CI = 2.59-4.28]). Neither premature birth nor parental socioeconomic status was associated with increased disease rates. CONCLUSIONS: S aureus bacteremia is uncommon in children between 5 and 18 years of age. Risk factors known from the adult population, such as dialysis, plasmapheresis, organ transplantation, and cancer, were associated with the highest relative rates. However, prematurity and parental socioeconomic status were not associated with increased rates. Approximately one-third of infected children were presumably healthy.

The impact of hemodialysis on mortality risk and cause of death in Staphylococcus aureus endocarditis.

BACKGROUND: The risk of infective endocarditis (IE) is markedly increased in patients receiving chronic hemodialysis compared with the general population, but outcome data are sparse. The present study investigated causes and risk factors of mortality in a hemodialysis-treated end-stage kidney disease- (ESKD) and a non-ESKD population with staphylococcus (S.) aureus endocarditis. METHODS: Hemodialysis-treated ESKD patients with S. aureus endocarditis were identified from Danish National Registries and Non-ESKD patients from The East Danish Database on Endocarditis. For establishing the cause of death The Danish Registry of Cause of Death was used. Independent risk factors of outcome were identified in multivariable Cox regression models. RESULTS: One hundred twenty-one hemodialysis patients and 190 non-ESKD patients with S. aureus endocarditis were included during 1996-2012 and 2002-2012, respectively. The all-cause in-hospital mortality was 22.3% in hemodialysis- and 24.7% in non-ESKD patients. One-year mortality, excluding in-hospital mortality, was 26.4% in hemodialysis patients and 15.2% in non-ESKD patients. The hazard ratio of all-cause mortality in hemodialysis was 2.64 (95% CI 1.70-4.10) at > 70 days after admission compared with non-ESKD. Age (HR 1.03 (95% CI 1.02-1.04)) and diabetes mellitus (HR 2.17 (95% CI 1.54-3.10)) were independent risk factors of all-cause mortality. The hazard ratio of cardiovascular death in hemodialysis was 3.20 (95% CI 1.78-5.77) at > 81 days after admission compared with non-ESKD. Age and diabetes mellitus were independently related to cardiovascular death. CONCLUSION: All-cause in-hospital mortality rates were similar in hemodialysis and non-ESKD patients with S. aureus endocarditis whereas one-year mortality rates were significantly increased in the hemodialysis population.

The impact of supraventricular ectopic complexes in different age groups and risk of recurrent atrial fibrillation after antiarrhythmic medication or catheter ablation.

INTRODUCTION: Supraventricular ectopic complexes (SVEC) are known risk factors of recurrent atrial fibrillation (AF). However, the impact of SVEC in different age groups is unknown. We aimed to investigate the risk of AF recurrence with higher SVEC burden in patients ±57years, respectively, after treatment with antiarrhythmic medication (AAD) or catheter ablation (CA). METHODS: In total, 260 patients with LVEF >40% and age ≤70 years were randomized to AAD (N=132) or CA (N=128) as first-line treatment for paroxysmal AF. All patients underwent 7-day Holter monitoring at baseline, and after 3, 6, 12, 18 and 24months and were categorized according to median age ±57years. We used multivariate Cox regression analyses and we defined high SVEC burden at 3months of follow-up as the upper 75th percentile >195SVEC/day. AF recurrence was defined as AF ≥1min, AF-related cardioversion or hospitalization. RESULTS: Age >57years were significantly associated with higher AF recurrence rate after CA (58% vs 36%, p=0.02). After CA, we observed a higher SVEC burden during follow-up in patients >57years which was not observed in the younger age group treated with CA (p=0.006). High SVEC burden at 3months after CA was associated with AF recurrence in older patients but not in younger patients (>57years: HR 3.4 [1.4-7.9], p=0.005). We did not find any age-related differences after AAD. CONCLUSION: We found that younger and older patients respond differently to CA and that SVEC burden was only associated with AF recurrence in older patients.

Antiarrhythmic medication is superior to catheter ablation in suppressing supraventricular ectopic complexes in patients with atrial fibrillation.

BACKGROUND: Supraventricular ectopic complexes (SVEC) originating in the pulmonary veins are known triggers of atrial fibrillation (AF) which led to the development of pulmonary vein isolation for AF. However, the long-term prevalence of SVEC after catheter ablation (CA) as compared to antiarrhythmic medication (AAD) is unknown. Our aims were to compare the prevalence of SVEC after AAD and CA and to estimate the association between baseline SVEC burden and AF burden during 24months of follow-up. METHODS: Patients with paroxysmal AF (N=260) enrolled in the MANTRA PAF trial were treated with AAD (N=132) or CA (N=128). At baseline and 3, 6, 12, 18 and 24months follow-up patients underwent 7-day Holter monitoring to assess SVEC and AF burden. We compared SVEC burden between treatments with Wilcoxon sum rank test. RESULTS: Patients treated with AAD had significantly lower daily SVEC burden during follow-up as compared to CA (AAD: 19 [6-58] versus CA: 39 [14-125], p=0.003). SVEC burden increased post-procedurally followed by a decrease after CA whereas after AAD SVEC burden decreased and stabilized after 3months of follow-up. Patients with low SVEC burden had low AF burden after both treatments albeit this was more pronounced after CA at 24months of follow-up. CONCLUSION: AAD was superior to CA in suppressing SVEC burden after treatment of paroxysmal AF. After CA SVEC burden increased immediately post-procedural followed by a decrease whereas after AAD an early decrease was observed. Lower SVEC burden was highly associated with lower AF burden during follow-up especially after CA.

Clinical utility of 18F-FDG positron emission tomography/computed tomography scan vs. 99mTc-HMPAO white blood cell single-photon emission computed tomography in extra-cardiac work-up of infective endocarditis.

The extra-cardiac work-up in infective endocarditis (IE) comprises a search for primary and secondary infective foci. Whether 18FDG-PET/CT or WBC-SPECT/CT is superior in detection of clinically relevant extra-cardiac manifestations in IE is unexplored. The objectives of this study were to identify the numbers of positive findings detected by each imaging modality, to evaluate the clinical relevance of these findings and to define the reproducibility for extra-cardiac foci in patients with definite IE. Each modality was evaluated for numbers and location of positive extra-cardiac foci in patients with definite IE. A team of 2 × 2 cardiologists evaluated each finding to determine clinical relevance. Clinical utility was determined by 4 criteria converted into an ordinal scale. Using the manifestation with highest clinical utility rating in each patient, the clinical impact of the two imaging modalities was expressed in a clinical utility score. To evaluate reproducibility for each modality, an imaging core laboratory reviewed all findings. In 55 IE patients, 91 pathological foci were found by FDG-PET/CT and 37 foci were identified by WBC-SPECT/CT (p < 0.001). The clinical utility of FDG-PET/CT was significantly higher than that of WBC-SPECT/CT when comparing clinical utility score (2.06 vs. 1.17; p = 0.01). In assessment of extra-cardiac diagnostics in IE, inter-observer reproducibility was substantial for WBC-SPECT/CT (k 0.69, 95% CI 0.49-0.89) and substantial to excellent for FDG-PET/CT (k 0.79, 95% CI 0.61-0.98). FDG-PET/CT has a significantly higher clinical utility score than WBC SPECT/CT and is potentially superior to WBC-SPECT/CT in detection of extra-cardiac pathology in patients with IE.

Risk Factors of Endocarditis in Patients With Enterococcus faecalis Bacteremia: External Validation of the NOVA Score.

BACKGROUND: The NOVA score is a recently developed diagnostic tool used to identify patients with increased risk of infective endocarditis (IE) among patients with Enterococcus faecalis bacteremia. We aimed to validate the NOVA score and to identify risk factors for IE. METHODS: From 1 January 2010 to 31 December 2013, we included 647 consecutive patients with E. faecalis bacteremia. The NOVA score was used in a slightly adapted form; 2/2 positive blood cultures resulted in 5 points, unknown origin of infection in 4 points, prior valve disease in 2 points, and heart murmur in 1 point. RESULTS: IE was diagnosed in 78 patients (12%). Monomicrobial E. faecalis bacteremia (hazard ratio [HR], 3.60; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.6-8.0), prosthetic heart valve (HR, 6.2; 95% CI, 3.8-10.1), male sex (HR, 2.0; 95% CI, 1.1-3.8), and community acquisition (HR, 1.8; 95% CI, 1.1-2.9) were independently associated with IE. The adapted NOVA score was applied in the 240 patients examined by echocardiography. A low score (<4) was found in 40 patients (17%), implying a low likelihood of IE. Of the 78 patients with IE, 76 had a high score (≥4), resulting in a sensitivity of 97%, specificity of 23%, a negative predictive value of 95%, and a positive predictive value of 38%. CONCLUSIONS: Monomicrobial E. faecalis bacteremia, community acquisition, prosthetic heart valve, and male sex are associated with increased risk of IE. In our retrospective cohort, the adapted NOVA score performed well, suggesting that it could be useful in guiding clinical decisions.

Identification of Typical Left Bundle Branch Block Contraction by Strain Echocardiography Is Additive to Electrocardiography in Prediction of Long-Term Outcome After Cardiac Resynchronization Therapy.

BACKGROUND: Current guidelines suggest that patients with left bundle branch block (LBBB) be treated with cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT); however, one-third do not have a significant activation delay, which can result in nonresponse. By identifying characteristic opposing wall contraction, 2-dimensional strain echocardiography (2DSE) may detect true LBBB activation. OBJECTIVES: This study sought to investigate whether the absence of a typical LBBB mechanical activation pattern by 2DSE was associated with unfavorable long-term outcome and if this is additive to electrocardiographic (ECG) morphology and duration. METHODS: From 2 centers, 208 CRT candidates (New York Heart Association classes II to IV, ejection fraction ≤35%, QRS duration ≥120 ms) with LBBB by ECG were prospectively included. Before CRT implantation, longitudinal strain in the apical 4-chamber view determined whether typical LBBB contraction was present. The pre-defined outcome was freedom from death, left ventricular assist device, or heart transplantation over 4 years. RESULTS: Two-thirds of patients (63%) had a typical LBBB contraction pattern. During 4 years, 48 patients (23%) reached the primary endpoint. Absence of a typical LBBB contraction was independently associated with increased risk of adverse outcome after adjustment for ischemic heart disease and QRS width (hazard ratio [HR]: 3.1; 95% CI: 1.64 to 5.88; p < 0.005). Adding pattern assessment to a risk prediction model including QRS duration and ischemic heart disease significantly improved the net reclassification index to 0.14 (p = 0.04) and improved the C-statistics (0.63 [95% CI: 0.54 to 0.72] vs. 0.71 [95% CI: 0.63 to 0.80]; p = 0.02). Use of strict LBBB ECG criteria was not independently associated with outcome in the multivariate model (HR: 1.72; 95% CI: 0.89 to 3.33; p = 0.11. Assessment of LBBB contraction pattern was superior to time-to-peak indexes of dyssynchrony (p < 0.01 for all). CONCLUSIONS: Contraction pattern assessment to identify true LBBB activation provided important prognostic information in CRT candidates.

Echocardiographic Findings Predict In-Hospital and 1-Year Mortality in Left-Sided Native Valve Staphylococcus aureus Endocarditis: Analysis From the International Collaboration on Endocarditis-Prospective Echo Cohort Study.

BACKGROUND: Staphylococcus aureus left-sided native valve infective endocarditis (LNVIE) has higher complication and mortality rates compared with endocarditis from other pathogens. Whether echocardiographic variables can predict prognosis in S aureus LNVIE is unknown. METHODS AND RESULTS: Consecutive patients with LNVIE, enrolled between January 2000 and September 2006, in the International Collaboration on Endocarditis were identified. Subjects without S aureus IE were matched to those with S aureus IE by the propensity of having S aureus. Survival differences were determined using log-rank significance tests. Independent echocardiographic predictors of mortality were identified using Cox-proportional hazards models that included inverse probability of treatment weighting and surgery as a time-dependent covariate. Of 727 subjects with LNVIE and 1-year follow-up, 202 had S aureus IE. One-year survival rates were significantly lower for patients with S aureus IE overall (57% S aureus IE versus 80% non-S aureus IE; P<0.001) and in the propensity-matched cohort (59% S aureus IE versus 68% non-S aureus IE; P<0.05). Intracardiac abscess (hazard ratio, 2.93; 95% confidence interval, 1.52-5.40; P<0.001) and left ventricular ejection fraction <40% (odds ratio, 3.01; 95% confidence interval, 1.35-6.04; P=0.004) were the only independent echocardiographic predictors of in-hospital mortality in S aureus LNVIE. Valve perforation (hazard ratio, 2.16; 95% confidence interval, 1.21-3.68; P=0.006) and intracardiac abscess (hazard ratio, 2.25; 95% confidence interval, 1.26-3.78; P=0.004) were the only independent predictors of 1-year mortality. CONCLUSIONS: S aureus is an independent predictor of 1-year mortality in subjects with LNVIE. In S aureus LNVIE, intracardiac abscess and left ventricular ejection fraction <40% independently predicted in-hospital mortality and intracardiac abscess and valve perforation independently predicted 1-year mortality.

Enterococcus faecalis infective endocarditis: a pilot study of the relationship between duration of gentamicin treatment and outcome.

BACKGROUND: Because of the nephrotoxic effects of aminoglycosides, the Danish guidelines on infective endocarditis were changed in January 2007, reducing gentamicin treatment in enterococcal infective endocarditis from 4 to 6 weeks to only 2 weeks. In this pilot study, we compare outcomes in patients with Enterococcus faecalis infective endocarditis treated in the years before and after endorsement of these new recommendations. METHODS AND RESULTS: A total of 84 consecutive patients admitted with definite left-sided E faecalis endocarditis in the period of 2002 to 2011 were enrolled. Forty-one patients were treated before and 43 patients were treated after January 1, 2007. There were no significant differences in baseline characteristics. At hospitalization, the 2 groups had similar estimated glomerular filtration rates of 66 and 75 mL/min (P=0.22). Patients treated before January 2007 received gentamicin for a significantly longer period (28 versus 14 days; P<0.001). The primary outcome, 1-year event-free survival, did not differ: 66% versus 69%, respectively (P=0.75). At discharge, the patients treated before 2007 had a lower estimated glomerular filtration rate (45 versus 66 mL/min; P=0.008) and a significantly greater decrease in estimated glomerular filtration rate (median, 11 versus 1 mL/min; P=0.009) compared with those treated after 2007. CONCLUSIONS: Our present pilot study suggests that the recommended 2-week treatment with gentamicin seems adequate and preferable in treating non-high-level aminoglycoside-resistant E faecalis infective endocarditis. The longer duration of gentamicin treatment is associated with worse renal function. Although the certainty of the clinical outcomes is limited by the sample size, outcomes appear to be no worse with the shorter treatment duration. Randomized, controlled studies are warranted to substantiate these results.

Variability of global left ventricular deformation analysis using vendor dependent and independent two-dimensional speckle-tracking software in adults.

BACKGROUND: Evaluation of myocardial deformation by two-dimensional speckle-tracking is useful for clinical and research purposes. However, differences may exist among different ultrasound machines, software packages, frame rates, and observers. METHODS: Thirty patients underwent echocardiography on both GE (Vivid 9; GE Vingmed Ultrasound AS, Horten, Norway) and Philips (iE33; Philips Ultrasound, Bothell, WA) ultrasound systems. From each study, two sets of images were stored in Digital Imaging and Communications in Medicine format, optimized for strain evaluation: one set of images at the acquisition frame rate (55-90 frames/sec) and one set of images at a compressed frame rate of 30 frames/sec. Vendor-independent software (VIS; TomTec 2D Cardiac Performance Analysis, Munich, Germany) was used to measure strain in multiple directions and was compared with vendor-specific software (GE EchoPAC; GE Vingmed Ultrasound AS). RESULTS: Intraobserver and interobserver coefficients of variation ranged from 5.5% to 8.7% for longitudinal strain, from 10.7% to 20.8% for circumferential, and from 15.3% to 33.4% for radial and transverse strain. Strain values obtained using VIS were comparable with those obtained using vendor-specific software for longitudinal strain, regardless of ultrasound machine or frame rate. For circumferential strain, a consistent large bias was observed between VIS and vendor-specific software, with higher values using VIS. Slightly higher strain values were observed by analysis at the acquisition frame rate compared with the low frame rate, but no consistent bias was observed between images from different vendors. CONCLUSIONS: Global longitudinal strain consistently showed good reproducibility, while reproducibility was moderate for circumferential strain and poor in the radial direction. Retrospective analysis of legacy Digital Imaging and Communications in Medicine data at 30 frames/sec can be reliably performed for longitudinal strain.