Differential characteristics of infectious endocarditis during childhood

The aim of this study was to report the differential clinical characteristi cs of infectious endocarditis in children. We describe our experience over the last 10 years with 13 cases of infectious endocarditis in children unde r 16 years old and compare the clinical features with the remaining cases o f infectious endocarditis diagnosed during adulthood over this period of ti me (125 cases). The children presented a lower proportion of predisposing c ardiac disease than the adult group (46 vs 80%), a greater incidence of sta phylococcic infection (70 vs 30%) and more frequent involvement of the righ t valves (28 vs 11%). The rate of complications (69 vs 85%), the need of ea rly surgery (15 vs 54%) and mortality during the active phase (15 vs 23%) w ere lower in the children. On comparative analysis with infectious endocard itis in adults, the children presented a better short and mid-term prognosi s. probably due to the different predisposing factors, causative germs and locations observed.