Epidemiology, microbiology, and outcomes of infective endocarditis in a tertiary center in Jordan

BACKGROUND: Infective endocarditis (IE) is a relatively rare but serious and life-threatening disease with substantial mortality and morbidity despite progress in diagnostic and treatment techniques. The aim of this study is to investigate the epidemiology, clinical characteristics, microbiological profile, and outcomes of IE patients in a tertiary care facility in Jordan, the Jordan University Hospital (JUH). METHODS: This is a retrospective case series study which was conducted at JUH. A total of 23 patients with either definite or possible IE according to the Modified Duke Criteria were included in the study. Medical records were reviewed, and relevant information was collected. Descriptive data analysis was performed. RESULTS: Our study identified a total of 23 patients with infective endocarditis; 65.2% were males, with a mean age of 40.4 years. The majority of patients had an underlying cardiac disease (60.9%), with the most common being congenital heart diseases (17.4%). The most commonly affected valves were the left-side heart valves, with the mitral valve (52.2%) being the most common followed by the aortic valve (34.8%). The most common organism detected in blood culture was Streptococcus viridans (21.7%) followed by methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus. The most common complications among the patients were heart failure and septic shock, and the mortality rate among the patients was 13%. CONCLUSION: In patients with endocarditis, Streptococcus viridans is the most common culture-positive bacteria at JUH. One third of our patients needed surgical intervention and the mortality rate was 13%.