Six cases of fungal endocarditis / 대한내과학회지

ABSTRACT

Fungal endocarditis is rare but has been reported with increased frequency in the last few decades. Also fungal endocarditis has become an important infection in the aspect of medical progress and predisposing factors such as previous cardiac surgery, antibiotics use and hyperalimentation, immunosuppression, long-term intravenous catheterization, and drug use. We hereby describe six cases which occurred from January 1992 at Severance hospital, Yonsei University College of Medicine. In five cases infection was associated with previous cardiac surgery and in one case associated with subcutaneous central catheterization in a patient who underwent cancer chemotherapy. Only one patient survived after intensive treatment with fluconazole and surgical removal of vegetation. Others were discharged without improvement of disease or expired during therapy. Fungal endocarditis is still a serious disease with high mortality and whenever the diagnosis is suspected, transesophageal echocardiography should be performed with empirical antifungal therapy. Antifungal therapy and surgery would yield the best results. But overall survival in patient with fungal endocarditis is rather poor. Attentions and efforts for early diagnosis are needed in order to improve the prognosis of fungal endocarditis.