Echocardiographic study of patients with congenital heart disease and infective endocarditis

Background: Infective endocarditis (IE) occurs with significant frequency i n patients with congenital heart disease. The complications leading to incr eased morbidity and mortality may be detected by echocardiographic examinat ion. This study was undertaken in order to identify echocardiographic findi ngs that influence the outcome of patients with congenital heart disease an d IE. Methods: Twenty-five patients with an average age of 28 years were se lected and divided into two groups according to evolution. Group I included patients who survived the infectious process, while Group II included pati ents who died during hospitalization or after release. Results: Aortic valv e disease was the most frequent anomaly. The clinical finding of most relev ance for evolution during hospitalization was heart failure. Acute kidney f ailure and multiple organ failure from sepsis were the most common complica tions in patients who died. Echocardiograms established the diagnosis in al l cases. Transesophageal studies revealed all periaortic abscesses. Conclus ions: Echocardiography makes it possible to identify and evaluate complicat ions associated with elevated morbidity and mortality in patients with cong enital heart disease and IE.