Clinical Features and Mortality Rate of Infective Endocarditis in Intensive Care Unit: A Large-Scale Study and Literature Review

Background: Large-scale multicentric studies reported that, despite advances in diagnosis, antibiotics, and surgical treatment, infective endocarditis (IE) in-hospital mortality remains high. Most data have been obtained from patients treated in infective disease wards, internal medicine, cardiology, or cardiac surgery departments and are therefore heterogeneous. The few studies focused on complicated IE patients leading to intensive care unit (ICU) admission have reported different methodologies and results. The aim of our study was to describe the epidemiological, clinical, and microbial features of critically ill patients admitted to the ICU with a definite IE diagnosis.

Methods: We conducted a prospective case-series population study from January 1, 1998, to December 31, 2020. Patients were divided into 2 groups: “Ward” (group 1) and “ICU” patients (group 2), and a 1-year follow-up was performed.

Results: After performing a univariate and multivariate logistic regression analysis, we found that the independent predictors of ICU admission were vegetation diameter >10 mm, abnormal PaO2/FiO2 ratio, and acute heart failure. Five independent mortality risk factors were identified: SOFA score >14, not performing surgery, age >70 years, acute heart failure, and embolic complications.

Conclusions: Infective endocarditis in-hospital mortality remains high. ICU admission and mortality can be predicted by independent risk factors.