Background: Infective endocarditis (IE) occurs with significant frequency in patients with congenital heart disease. The complications leading to increased morbidity and mortality may be detected by echocardiographic examination. This study was undertaken in order to identify echocardiographic findings that influence the outcome of patients with congenital heart disease and IE.
Methods: Twenty-five patients with an average age of 28 years were selected and divided into two groups according to evolution. Group I included patients who survived the infectious process, while Group II included patients who died during hospitalization or after release.
Results: Aortic valve disease was the most frequent anomaly. The clinical finding of most relevance for evolution during hospitalization was heart failure. Acute kidney failure and multiple organ failure from sepsis were the most common complications in patients who died. Echocardiograms established the diagnosis in all cases. Transesophageal studies revealed all periaortic abscesses.
Conclusions: Echocardiography makes it possible to identify and evaluate complications associated with elevated morbidity and mortality in patients with congenital heart disease and IE.