184 Infective endocarditis in women: clinical characteristics and outcome

The influence of sex on the prevalence of certain forms of valvular heart disease was known. Although the clinical characteristics and prognosis of infective endocarditis (IE) have been widely studied, little information was available concerning the possible differences between men and women. The aim of this study was to assess the clinical Characteristics and the Prognosis of Infective Endocarditis in Women. Methods Comparative analysis of 220 patients diagnosed with IE according to the Duke University criterea between 1997 and 2007. Of these 95 (42,7%) were women. Results Mean age was similar in the 2 sexes, 34,8 ± 18 years for men and 37,2 ± 18 years for women. Infection occurred more frequently in the mitral valve in women (62% vs 43% p = 0,03) and more frequently in the aortic valve in men (36,3% vs 20,2%, p=0,05). The incidence of IE on prosthesis was similar in both groups: 22, 8% in the men and 23,3% in the women (p=0,8). The rate of positive blood cultures was similar in both groups (52,2% in men and 51% in women, p = 0.9) and no significant differences were found regarding the causative pathogen. The rates of heart failure, peripheral emboli, abscesses and neurologic complications were all similar in the 2 groups. Concerning surgical treatment, women had more frequently mitral valve replacement (29,3% vs 20,8%, p= 0,05), and men had more freqently aortic or mitro-aortic valve prothesis (23,8% vs 9,8%, p=0,001, and 4% vs 1,2%, p= 0,05). Death during the hospital phase was similar: 20, 2% for women and 18,1% for men (p=0,7). Conclusion Despite the differences in the valvular localisation of IE between men and women, it seems that the clinical characteristics and the prognosis of infective endocarditis were similar.