Enterococcal Endocarditis in Sweden, 1995–1999: Can Shorter Therapy with Aminoglycosides Be Used?
Open Access
- 15 January 2002
- journal article
- Published by Oxford University Press (OUP) in Clinical Infectious Diseases
- Vol. 34 (2), 159-166
- https://doi.org/10.1086/338233
Abstract
A 5-year nationwide prospective study in Sweden during 1995–1999 identified 881 definite episodes of infective endocarditis. Definite enterococcal endocarditis was diagnosed in 93 episodes (11%), the largest series of enterococcal endocarditis so far presented. Mortality during treatment was 16%, the relapse rate was 3%, and clinical cure was achieved in the remaining 81% of the episodes. Clinical cure was achieved with a median duration of cell wall–active antimicrobial therapy of 42 days combined with an aminoglycoside (median treatment time, 15 days). International guidelines generally recommend a 4–6-week combined synergistic treatment course with a cell wall–active antibiotic and an aminoglycoside. Treatment regimens in Sweden often include a shortened aminoglycoside treatment course in order to minimize adverse effects in older patients. Fatal outcome seemed not to be due to the shortened aminoglycoside therapy course. In many enterococcal endocarditis episodes, duration of aminoglycoside therapy could probably be shortened to 2–3 weeks.Keywords
This publication has 16 references indexed in Scilit:
- New criteria for diagnosis of infective endocarditis: utilization of specific echocardiographic findingsAmerican Journal Of Medicine, 1994
- Influence of high-level gentamicin resistance and beta-hemolysis on susceptibility of enterococci to the bactericidal activities of ampicillin and vancomycinAntimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy, 1992
- In vitro response to bactericidal activity of cell wall-active antibiotics does not support the general opinion that enterococci are naturally tolerant to these antibioticsAntimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy, 1990
- Enterococcal Endocarditis: A Comparison of Prosthetic and Native Valve DiseaseClinical Infectious Diseases, 1990
- Endocarditis due to group D streptococci: Comparison of disease caused by streptococcus bovis with that produced by the enterococciAmerican Journal Of Medicine, 1974
- Enterococcal endocarditis. An analysis of 38 patients observed at the New York Hospital-Cornell Medical CenterArchives of Internal Medicine, 1970
- Bacterial endocarditis: A review of 148 casesAmerican Journal Of Medicine, 1962
- Antibiotic Therapy of Bacterial EndocarditisCirculation, 1954
- The Combined Action of Penicillin with Streptomycin or Chloromycetin on Enterococci in VitroScience, 1950
- Use of streptomycin in the treatment of bacterial endocarditisAmerican Journal Of Medicine, 1947