Trends in incidence of infective endocarditis at the Medical Center of Alkmaar

INTRODUCTION: Infective endocarditis (IE) is a life-threatening illness with a high morbidity and mortality, and with a rise in incidence in patients with prosthetic valves and cardiac devices. Recently the Dutch guidelines of IE prophylaxis have been revised, limiting IE prophylaxis to the highest-risk population. The aim of the present study was to investigate the incidence of IE and its trend between 2008–2013 in a regional hospital in the Netherlands. METHODS: This is an observational descriptive study of all patients who were admitted with IE to the Medical Center of Alkmaar (MCA) from 1 January 2008 to 31 December 2013. RESULTS: A total of 89 patients with IE, including 7 patients (7.9 %) with a cardiac device IE (CDIE), were identified. In 2008 there were 8 patients with IE, this increased to 26 patients in 2013. Patients with a prosthetic valve IE increased from 25 % in 2008 to 34.6 % in 2013. This increase was not seen in patients with CDIE. CONCLUSION: In the MCA we have observed an increase in patients with IE since 2010. This increase was in part attributable to prosthetic valve IE. A larger observational study is needed to investigate the increase of IE in the Netherlands.