Epidemiological analysis of infective endocarditis: a decade perspective in a private hospital setting

Background: Infective endocarditis is a pathology with an insidious onset, difficult diagnosis, and high morbidity and mortality rate that requires prolonged treatment with parenteral antibiotic therapy and sometimes surgery. Objective: To evaluate the ten-year epidemiological profile of infective endocarditis in a private hospital in Volta Redonda, as well as the treatment used in each case and the outcomes. Method: A retrospective study was conducted with a quantitative and qualitative approach and an exploratory objective that sought to evaluate all medical records of patients admitted between 2011 and 2021 at Hospital Unimed Volta Redonda. A descriptive and correlation analysis of the data was performed between the type of treatment, microorganisms, and outcomes. Results: This study analyzed the medical records of 24 patients, 16 (66.6%) male and 8 (33.3%) female. The most frequently affected age group was 50 to 69 years, with a mean of 59 years and a standard deviation of 2.6. The survey revealed a total of 7 (29.16%) deaths and 9 (37.5%) patients presenting complications, such as stroke, embolization, and heart failure. In this study, 11 (45.83%) patients were identified as requiring surgical intervention for valve replacement. Conclusion: In this study, IE presented an epidemiological profile with high mortality and an outcome with a high incidence of surgeries. The mitral and aortic valves were the most affected and the most prevalent bacteria were those of the staphylococcus group, thus showing that IE is still a disease with high morbidity and mortality.