A Three-Year Retrospective Study Assessing the Quality of the Course of Management of Infective Endocarditis in a Tertiary Hospital in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

Background: Infective endocarditis (IE) is one of the most misdiagnosed diseases in Saudi Arabia because of the variable treatment regimen. This study aims to assess the quality of the management of infective endocarditis in a tertiary care teaching hospital. Methods: A single-center retrospective cohort study was conducted, based on electronic medical records extracted from the BestCare electronic medical record system, of all patients who presented with infective endocarditis as a final diagnosis from 2016 to 2019. Results: Out of a total of 99 patients diagnosed with infective endocarditis, 75% of our patients had blood cultures ordered before initiating empirical antibiotic therapy. Positive blood cultures were reported in 60% of patients. Staphylococcus aureus was the most common organism, identified in 18% of our patients, followed by Streptococcus viridans at 5%. Empirical antibiotics were initiated in 81% of patients. Proper antibiotic coverage was initiated within a week for 53% of the patients, and 14% had proper antibiotic coverage within two weeks. On echocardiography, 62% of the patients had vegetation that was present in a single valve. The mitral valve had the highest incidence of vegetation (24%), followed by the aortic valve (21%). Follow-up echocardiography was done in 52% of patients. It showed regressed vegetation in 43% of patients, while only 9% of patients had no vegetation regression. Valve repair was done in 25% of patients. Out of 99 patients, 47 required ICU admission. The mortality rate was 18%. Conclusion: Overall management of infective endocarditis in the study hospital was appropriate and highly compliant with guidelines, with a few areas that could be improved further.