[Hepatosplenic and renal embolisms in infective endocarditis]. / Endocarditis infecciosa y embolias del eje hepatoesplenorrenal.

INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVES: Among the complications of infective endocarditis, systemic embolisms are an ominous prognostic sign. The aim of the present study was to compare the demographic, clinical, microbiologic and echocardiographic features of episodes of endocarditis accompanied and unaccompanied by embolisms in the spleen, kidney or liver. We also assessed the prognostic impact of these embolisms. MATERIAL AND METHOD: Prospective, multicenter clinical cohort study. We analyzed 338 consecutive episodes of left-sided infective endocarditis in 308 patients. Episodes were classified in two groups: group I, episodes with hepatosplenic or renal embolisms (n=34); group II, episodes without embolisms (n=304). RESULTS: There were 41 embolisms in 34 episodes (10%). Of these, 34 were located in the spleen, 5 in the kidney and 2 in the liver. Some forms of clinical presentation predominated in group I, e.g., abdominal pain, splenomegaly, cutaneous stigmata, hematuria, embolisms in other locations, and septic shock. Staphylococcus aureus and enterococci were more commonly isolated in group I. Detection of vegetations (by transesophageal echocardiography) was more frequent in group I, and they were larger than vegetations in group II. Hepatosplenic and renal embolisms were not independently associated with the need for cardiac surgery or death. CONCLUSIONS: Hepatosplenic and renal embolisms occur in 10% of left-sided episodes of infective endocarditis. The clinical presentation of these episodes has characteristic features. Vegetations are larger than in episodes without these embolism. Hepatosplenic and renal embolisms do not increase neither the need of cardiac surgery nor the risk of death.

Clinical diagnostic accuracy of suspected sources of bacteremia and its effect on mortality.

BACKGROUND: Although much has been written about bacteremia, evidence of the clinical diagnostic accuracy of bacteremia sources in the absence of microbiological results and the impact of diagnostic accuracy on mortality is scarce. METHODS: This is a retrospective study of bacteremia episodes over a 2-year period at a general hospital in Madrid. Congruence analyses between clinically presumed and definite sources, acquisition, causative organism, empirical treatment and progression to death were performed. RESULTS: The study included 323 bacteremia episodes. Clinicians' diagnostic accuracy was higher for gastrointestinal (88.8%; 95% CI: 79%-84%), respiratory (93.9%; 95% CI: 79%-99%) and urinary tract sources (83.6%; 95% CI: 75%-89%) and lower for skin and soft tissues (77.2%; 95% CI: 54%-92%) and, notably, intravascular sources (56%; 95% CI: 39%-71%). Overall, a non-significant (3.45%; 95% CI: -0.6%-13.5%, p=0.47) increase in mortality was observed in the incorrectly suspected bacteremia source group. Mortality related to a definitive source was significantly higher when an intravascular origin was not suspected, resulting in a 26% increase in mortality (95% CI: 1%-52%, p=0.03). Differences in mortality related to inaccurate source assumptions were non-significant when the definitive bacteremia sources were gastrointestinal, urinary, respiratory, skin and soft tissues or unknown. Mortality in the group receiving appropriate empirical antimicrobial treatment was 10.6% compared with 19.7% mortality in the group receiving inappropriate empirical antimicrobial treatment (OR 2; 95% CI: 1.01-4.25). CONCLUSIONS: The diagnostic accuracy of bacteremia sources is high in all but intravascular sources. A non-suspected intravascular source and inappropriate empirical treatment are related to a higher mortality.

Endocarditis infecciosa y embolias del eje hepatoesplenorrenal / Hepatosplenic and Renal Embolisms in Infective Endocarditis

Introducción y objetivos. Dentro de las complicaciones de la endocarditis infecciosa, la embolia sistématica constituye un evento ominoso respecto al pronóstico final. El objetivo de este estudio es analizar las características demográficas, clínicas y microbiológicas de los episodios de endocarditis que cursan con embolias en el bazo, el hígado o el riñón y compararlas con los que no las presentan. También se ha querido conocer el impacto pronóstico de estas embolias. Material y método. Estudio de cohorte clínica prospectivo, multicéntrico. Se han analizado 338 episodios consecutivos de endocarditis izquierda en 308 pacientes, clasificados en 2 grupos: grupo I, episodios con embolias hepatoesplenorrenales (n = 34); y grupo II, episodios sin estas embolias (n = 304). Resultados. Se documentaron 41 embolias en 34 episodios (10%): 34 embolias en el bazo, 5 en el riñón y 2 en el hígado. Ciertas formas de presentación clínica fueron más frecuentes en el grupo I: dolor abdominal, esplenomegalia, hematuria, manifestaciones cutáneas, embolia en otras localizaciones y shock séptico. Staphylococcus aureus y enterococos se aislaron con más frecuencia en el grupo I que en el grupo II. La detección de vegetaciones mediante eco- cardiograma transesofágico fue más frecuente en el grupo I, y tenían un tamaño mayor. La presencia de embolias hepatoesplenorrenales no se asoció de forma independiente a la necesidad de cirugía ni al riesgo de mortalidad. Conclusiones. Las embolias hepatoesplenorrenales aparecen en un 10% de los episodios de endocarditis izquierda, con una forma de presentación clínica característica. Las vegetaciones en estos episodios son de mayor tamaño que en los demás. Su presencia no incrementa la necesidad de cirugía ni el riesgo de muerte (AU)

Introduction and objectives. Among the complications of infective endocarditis, systemic enbolisms are an ominous prognostic sign. The aim of the present study was to compare the demographic, clinical, microbiologic and echocardiographic features of episodes of endocarditis accompanied and unaccompanied by embolisms in the spleen, kidney or liver. We also assessed the prognostic impact of these embolisms. Material and method. Prospective, multicenter clinical cohort study. We analyzed 338 consecutive episodes of left-sided infective endocarditis in 308 patients. Episodes were classified in two groups: group I, episodes with hepatosplenic or renal embolisms (n=34); group II, episodes without embolisms (n=304). Results. There were 41 embolisms in 34 episodes (10%). Of these, 34 were located in the spleen, 5 in the kidney and 2 in the liver. Some forms of clinical presentation predominated in group I, e.g., abdominal pain, splenomegaly, cutaneous stigmata, hematuria, embolisms in other locations, and septic shock. Staphylococcus aureus and enterococci were more commonly isolted in group I. Detection of vegetations (by transesophageal echocardiography) was more frequent in group I, and they were larger than vegetations in group II. Hepatosplenic and renal embolisms were not independently associated with the need for cardiac surgery or death. Conclusions. Hepatosplenic and renal embolisms occur in 10% of left-sided episodes of infective endocarditis. The clinical presentation of these episodes has characteristic features. Vegetations are larger than in episodes without these embolism. Hepatosplenic and renal embolisms do not increase neither the need of cardiac surgery nor the risk of death (AU)