Neurologic Complications of Infective Endocarditis:Retrospective Review of 100 Cases

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Neurological syndromes often complicate the management of infective endocarditis. METHODS: We reviewed the neurological complications in 100 patients with infective endocarditis in a tertiary care hospital. RESULTS: Neurological complications occurred in 25 patients (25%). Ischemic infarctions occurred in 15 patients, hemorrhagic infarctions in 5, intracerebral hemorrhages in 12, subarachnoid hemorrhages in 4, and subdural hemorrhages in 2. Brain abscess was detected in 4 and seizures in 2 patients. Staphylococcus aureus endocarditis (p=0.01) and mitral valvular heart disease (p=0.015) correlated statistically with the development of neurological complications. The mortality rate was significantly higher in patients with neurological complications than those without neurological complications (p=0.00). Age, sex, and type of valve (native versus prosthetic) were not related to the complication rate. CONCLUSIONS: We concluded that (1) hemorrhagic complications occurred at a higher rate in this study than previous reports; (2) S.aureus infection and mitral valvular disease predicted the occurrence of neurological complications; and (3) neurological complications were related to mortality rates. (J Korean Neurol Assoc 19(3)202~206, 2001)