Infective endocarditis in patients with an implanted transcatheter aortic valve: Clinical characteristics and outcome of a new entity

SummaryAimsThis study reports one case and review the literature on TAVI-associated endocarditis (TAVIE), to describe its clinical picture and to perform an analysis on prognostic factors.Methods and resultsA MEDLINE search from January 2002 to October 2014 revealed 31 cases of TAVIE, including 1 from our hospital. Median age was 81 years (IQR, 78-85), 53% of patients were males and the median age-adjusted Charlson score was 7 (IQR, 5-8). Heart failure was recorded in 42%, embolic events in 19%, and periannular complications in 45%. The most common causative agent was Enterococcus spp (36%). Ten patients (32%) underwent surgery and nine patients died (29%). The prognostic factors for 6-month mortality were heart failure (HR, 9.97 [3.7-24.5]; p = 0.001), periannular complications (HR, 11.82 [3.3-41.3]; p = 0.004), and nonenterococcal/streptococcal etiology (HR, 4.76 [2.1-11.1]; p = 0.03). In patients with heart failure who did not undergo surgery, mortality was 89% (8 out of 9); in those who did undergo surgery, mortality was 0% (p < 0.001).ConclusionsTAVIE is an emerging entity with high mortality. Patients with heart failure who did not undergo surgery had a higher probability of dying. Surgical treatment provided better outcomes even in patients in whom surgery had previously been ruled out.