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Infective Endocarditis at Maharaj Nakorn Chiang Mai Hospital, 2002-2003

Romanee Chaiwarith, M.D., Somboon Jeenapongsa, M.D., Thira Sirisanthana, M.D.

ABSTRACT
Infective endocarditis remains a significant health problem despite the improvement in a health
care system. Our study aimed to determine the epidemiology, clinical features, and treatment outcome of
patients with infective endocarditis at Maharaj Nakorn Chiang Mai Hospital, Chiang Mai, northern Thailand.
A retrospective chart review was done at Maharaj Nakorn Chiang Mai Hospital from January
2002 to December 2003 to assess the clinical features, laboratory data, and clinical outcome of 96 patients
with infective endocarditis. There were 69 men and 27 women with a mean age of 45 years (range 14-85
years). Thirty-nine patients (40.6%) had identified risk factors for infective endocarditis. Sixty patients
(62.5%) had an infection of the aortic valve. Twenty-eight (29.2%) an 68 patients (70.8%) were categorized
as acute and subacute infective endocarditis, respectively. The most common pathogen was viridans group
of streptococci (12 patients), followed by Streptococcus suis (nine patients). The most commonly used
antibiotic regimen is the combination of penicillin G sodium or ampicillin plus gentamicin (30 patients, 31.3%),
followed by ampicillin plus ceftriaxone (15 patients, 15.6%). Forty-seven patients (49.0%) underwent a
surgical intervention. The overall mortality rate was 17.7 percent. (J Infect Dis Antimicrob Agents
2006;23:75-81.)