Clinical Review on Infective Endocarditis

A clinical analysis of infective endocarditis was done in 34 patients who were admitted to National Medical Center from march. 1972 to June. 1984, and the results were as follows. 1) There was no difference in ratio between sexes. The prevalence was highest in the 3rd decade. 2) The important preexisting heart diseases were rheumatic heart disease(32.4%), congenital heart disease(17.6%) and undefined cardiac condition(20.6%) in order of frequency. 3) The common symptoms and signs on admission were fever(88.3%), cardiac murmur(79.4%), malaise(70.6%), dyspnea (64.7%), palpitation(55.9%) and hepatosplenomegaly(55.9%). 4) The positive blood culture was obtained in 15(47%) of the cases. Those who had not received antibiotics before admission showed higher rate of positive culture(72.7%) than in those who had received(33.3%). 5) The laboratary findings revealed anemia(73.5%), leukocytosis(35.3%), increased ESR(73.5%), microscopic hematuria(61.8%) and positive CRP(100.0%). 6) The EKG findings showed normal(11.8%), sinus tachycardia(32.4%), LV hypertrophy(29.4%), non-specific ST-T change(20.6%) and AV block(14.7%). 7) Vegetation was detected by echocardiography in 43% of cases and the most frequently involved valve was aortic(66.7%). 8) The combination of penicillin and aminoglycoside was effective in 86.4% of patients so treated.

A Clinical Review on Cor Pulmonale

A clinical review was made on 48 cases with cor pulmonale who were admitted to medical department, National Medical Center, between 1973 and 1982, and the results were as follows : 1) Teh age of subjects ranged from 26 to 88, and their mean was 51. male to female ratio was 1.6:1 and majority of them were in their 6th and 7th decade. 2) COPD was the most common cause of cor pulmonale but pulmonary tuberculosis had also a considerable portion. Less commonly it was caused by chest deformity which was mainly from spine tuberculosis and kyphoscoliosis. 3) Almost all patients were admitted with over heart failure. 4) Laboratory features showed indirect evidence of heart failure and pulmonary hypertension in chest X-ray films, RVH patterns in EKG and hypoxia and hypertcapnea with metabolic compensation in arterial gas analysis. 5) The case fatality rate was one-forth and that from kyphoscoliosis was especially high(80%).