Complications and prognosis of infective endocarditis

Clinical manifestations of infective endocarditis may involve almost all body organs. They are usually classified as either cardiac or extra-cardiac complications. The first stage of infection is the development of intra-cardiac vegetation, which may further spread with an increase in size and number of vegetations, destructive valve lesions, and perivalvular extension of the infection. These anatomical lesions are responsible for hemodynamic disorders, mostly valvular regurgitation, and often lead to heart failure, which is the most frequent complication of IE. Embolic events may affect various vascular territories, the most frequent sites being brain, spleen and kidney for left-sided IE, and lung for right-sided IE. Cerebral complications may be of ischemic, hemorrhagic and/or infectious origin, are often the revealing symptoms of IE, and are well-recognized factors of poor prognosis. IE remains a dreadful disease with an in hospital mortality of 20%, a 5 year mortality of 40% and a significant morbidity.