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Background Patients with end-stage renal disease (ESRD) have a higher risk of infective endocarditis (IE) and a worse prognosis associated with it. Our aim is to analyze the clinical characteristics and outcomes of patients with IE and ESRD in Spain, while exploring potential differences between patients undergoing dialysis and other patients with ESRD. Methods Retrospective observational population-based study analyzing 9,008 episodes of IE recorded between 2016 and 2019, using data from the Spanish Minimum Basic DataSet. Among these, 428 patients had ESRD, including 332 who were undergoing dialysis. A multivariable and multilevel logistic regression model was constructed to assess the association between various factors and in-hospital mortality in ESRD patients. Results Compared to patients without ESRD, those with ESRD were younger, had more comorbidities, and showed a higher prevalence of infections caused by Staphylococcus aureus (31.8% vs. 18.4%; p  < 0.001) and coagulase-negative staphylococci (19.2% vs. 14%; p  = 0.006). ESRD patients also experienced septic shock more frequently as an in-hospital complication (12.1% vs. 8.9%; p  = 0.007). Additionally, they underwent cardiac surgery less often (12.6% vs. 19.6%; p  < 0.001) and had significantly higher in-hospital mortality rates (33.4% vs. 26.9%; p  = 0.003) than patients without ESRD. Among ESRD patients, those undergoing dialysis had more comorbidities and a higher proportion of S. aureus infections (36.1% vs. 16.7%; p  < 0.001). The multilevel analysis revealed that neither dialysis nor cardiac surgery were independently associated with in-hospital mortality. Conclusions Patients with ESRD and IE exhibit distinct clinical and microbiological characteristics compared to other IE patients. Additionally, they are less likely to undergo cardiac surgery and experience significantly higher in-hospital mortality rates. In ESRD patients with IE, neither dialysis treatment nor cardiac surgery were identified as independent risk factors for mortality.

Background Diabetes mellitus (DM) is associated with a worse prognosis in patients with heart failure. Our aim was to analyze the clinical and imaging features of patients with DM and their association with outcomes in comparison to nondiabetic patients in a cohort of patients with nonischemic dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM). Methods This is a prospective cohort study of patients with DCM evaluated in a tertiary care center from 2018 to 2021. Transthoracic echocardiography and cardiac magnetic resonance findings were assessed. A high-risk late gadolinium enhancement (LGE) pattern was defined as epicardial, transmural, or septal plus free-wall. The primary outcome was a composite of heart failure hospitalizations and all-cause mortality. Multivariable analyses were performed to evaluate the impact of DM on outcomes. Results We studied 192 patients, of which 51 (26.6%) had DM. The median left ventricular ejection fraction was 30%, and 106 (55.2%) had LGE. No significant differences were found in systolic function parameters between patients with and without DM. E/e values were higher (15 vs. 11.9, p  = 0.025), and both LGE (68.6% vs. 50.4%; p  = 0.025) and a high-risk LGE pattern (31.4% vs. 18.5%; p  = 0.047) were more frequently found in patients with DM. The primary outcome occurred more frequently in diabetic patients (41.2% vs. 23.6%, p  = 0.017). DM was an independent predictor of outcomes (OR 2.01; p  = 0.049) and of LGE presence (OR 2.15; p  = 0.048) in the multivariable analysis. Patients with both DM and LGE had the highest risk of events (HR 3.1; p  = 0.003). Conclusion DM is related to a higher presence of LGE in DCM patients and is an independent predictor of outcomes. Patients with DM and LGE had a threefold risk of events. A multimodality imaging approach allows better risk stratification of these patients and may influence therapeutic options.

Approximately a quarter of patients with infective endocarditis (IE) who have surgical indication only receive antibiotic treatment. Their short-term prognosis is dismal. We aimed to describe the characteristics of this group of patients to evaluate the mortality according to the cause of rejection and type of surgical indication and to analyze their prognostic factors of mortality. From 2005 to 2022, 1105 patients with definite left-sided IE were consecutively attended in three tertiary hospitals. Of them, 912 (82.5%) had formal surgical indication according to the most recent European Guidelines available in each period of the study and 303 (33%) only received medical treatment. These were older, had more comorbidities and higher in-hospital (46% vs. 24%; p < 0.001) and one year mortality (57.1% vs. 27.6%; p < 0.001) than operated patients. The main reason for surgical rejection was high surgical risk (57.1%) and the highest mortality when the cause were severe neurological conditions (76%). When the endocarditis team took the decision not to operate (25.5% of the patients), in-hospital (7%) and one-year mortality (17%) were low. In-hospital mortality associated with each surgical indication was 67% in heart failure, 53% in uncontrolled infection and 45% in prevention of embolisms (p < 0.001). Heart failure (OR: 2.26 CI95%: 1.29–3.96; p = 0.005), Staphylococcus aureus (OR: 3.17; CI95%: 1.72–5.86; p < 0.001) and persistent infection (OR: 5.07 CI95%: 2.85–9.03) are the independent risk factors of in-hospital mortality. One third of the patients with left-sided IE and formal surgical indication are rejected for surgery. In-hospital mortality is very high, especially when heart failure is the indication for surgery and when severe neurological conditions the reason for rejection. Short term prognosis of patients rejected by a specialized endocarditis team is favorable.

Introduction and Objectives: Infective endocarditis (IE) presents a high mortality rate despite medical and surgical advances. The objective of this study is to describe our experience in the surgical treatment of left‐sided valvular IE. Methods: A retrospective analysis was performed on patients operated for left‐sided valvular IE from March 2006 to August 2023. Fine‐gray competitive risk regression model was used to analyze recurrence, while logistic regression and Cox regression models were assessed to identify independent variables associated with hospital mortality and long‐term mortality. Results: Out of 566 patients diagnosed with IE, 352 (62.2%) underwent surgery for left‐sided valvular involvement. Of these patients, 65.9% were male with a median age of 67.8 years. The causative microorganism was isolated in 84.4% of cases. Hospital mortality was 19.0% ( n = 67). Age over 69 years and preoperative cardiogenic shock were independent risk factors for hospital mortality. A recurrence of endocarditis was observed in 11.7% ( n = 41) of patients (26 relapses and 15 reinfections), with prosthetic endocarditis being an independent risk predictor (HR 2.03 (CI 1.09–3.79); p = 0.004). Survival rates at 1, 5, and 10 years were 75.2%, 66.2%, and 47.1%, respectively. Age over 60 years, preoperative cardiogenic shock, preoperative moderate left ventricular dysfunction, mitral surgery, postoperative low cardiac output, postoperative acute kidney injury AKIN III, and postoperative stroke were independent variables associated with long‐term mortality. Conclusions: Surgery is indicated in more than 60% of patients with IE. Despite this, IE remains a complex disease associated with high in‐hospital morbidity and mortality and a decrease in long‐term survival.

Purpose Most data regarding infective endocarditis (IE) after transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) comes from TAVI registries, rather than IE dedicated cohorts. The objective of our study was to compare the clinical and microbiological profile, imaging features and outcomes of patients with IE after SAVR with a biological prosthetic valve (IE-SAVR) and IE after TAVI (IE-TAVI) from 6 centres with an Endocarditis Team (ET) and broad experience in IE. Methods Retrospective analysis of prospectively collected data. From the time of first TAVI implantation in each centre to March 2021, all consecutive patients admitted for IE-SAVR or IE-TAVI were prospectively enrolled. Follow-up was monitored during admission and at 12 months after discharge. Results 169 patients with IE-SAVR and 41 with IE-TAVI were analysed. Early episodes were more frequent among IE-TAVI. Clinical course during hospitalization was similar in both groups, except for a higher incidence of atrioventricular block in IE-SAVR. The most frequently causative microorganisms were S. epidermidis , Enterococcus spp. and S. aureus in both groups. Periannular complications were more frequent in IE-SAVR. Cardiac surgery was performed in 53.6% of IE-SAVR and 7.3% of IE-TAVI (p=0.001), despite up to 54.8% of IE-TAVI patients had an indication. No differences were observed about death during hospitalization (32.7% vs 35.0%), and at 1-year follow-up (41.8% vs 37.5%), regardless of whether the patient underwent surgery or not. Conclusion Patients with IE-TAVI had a higher incidence of early prosthetic valve IE. Compared to IE-SAVR, IE-TAVI patients underwent cardiac surgery much less frequently, despite having surgical indications. However, in-hospital and 1-year mortality rate was similar between both groups.

Among 1655 consecutive patients with infective endocarditis treated from 1998 to 2020 in three tertiary care centres, 16 were caused by Candida albicans (CAIE, n = 8) and Candida parapsilosis (CPIE, n = 8). Compared to CAIE, CPIE were more frequently community-acquired. Prosthetic valve involvement was remarkably more common among patients with CPIE. CPIE cases presented a higher rate of positive blood cultures at admission, persistently positive blood cultures after antifungals initiation and positive valve cultures. All patients but four underwent cardiac surgery. Urgent surgery was more frequently performed in CPIE. No differences regarding in-hospital mortality were documented, even after adjusting for therapeutic management.

Background/Objectives: Heart failure worsens the prognosis of patients with infective endocarditis (IE) and is mainly caused by severe valvular regurgitation. The aim of our investigation is to describe the clinical, epidemiological, microbiological, and echocardiographic characteristics of patients with native left-sided infective endocarditis (NLSIE) with severe valvular regurgitation; to describe the prognosis according to the therapeutic approach; and to determine the prognostic factors of in-hospital mortality. Methods: We prospectively recruited all episodes of possible or definite NLSIE diagnosed at three tertiary hospitals between 2005 and 2022. Patients were divided into two groups: patients with severe valvular regurgitation at the time of admission or during hospitalization and patients without severe valvular regurgitation. We analyzed up to 85 variables concerning epidemiological, clinical, analytical, microbiological, and echocardiographic data. Results: We recovered 874 patients with NLSIE, 564 (65%) of them with severe valvular regurgitation. There were no differences in mortality among patients with and without severe regurgitation (30.2% vs. 26.5%, p = 0.223). However, mortality increased when patients with severe regurgitation developed heart failure (33% vs. 11.4%, p < 0.001). Independent factors related to heart failure were age (OR 1.02 [1.01–1.034], p = 0.001), anemia (OR 1.2 [1.18–3.31], p = 0.01), atrial fibrillation (OR 2.3 [1.08–4.89], p = 0.03), S. viridans-related IE (OR 0.47 [0.3–0.73], p = 0.001), and mitroaortic severe regurgitation (OR 2.4 [1.15–5.02], p = 0.019). Conclusions: Severe valvular regurgitation is very frequent among patients with NLSIE, but it does not worsen the prognosis of patients unless complicated with heart failure.

One-year dietary quality change according to the preceding maximum weight in a lifestyle intervention program (PREDIMED-Plus trial, 55–75-year-old overweight or obese adults; n = 5695) was assessed. A validated food frequency questionnaire was used to assess dietary intake. A total of 3 groups were made according to the difference between baseline measured weight and lifetime maximum reported weight: (a) participants entering the study at their maximum weight, (b) moderate weight loss maintainers (WLM), and (c) large WLM. Data were analyzed by General Linear Model. All participants improved average lifestyle. Participants entering the study at their maximum weight were the most susceptible to improve significantly their dietary quality, assessed by adherence to Mediterranean diet, DII and both healthful and unhealthful provegetarian patterns. People at maximum weight are the most benefitted in the short term by a weight management program. Long term weight loss efforts may also reduce the effect of a weight management program.