Clinical microbiology and infection : the official publication of the European Society of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases
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Clin. Microbiol. Infect. · Feb 2009
Chronic antiplatelet therapy and mortality among patients with infective endocarditis.
Whether antiplatelet therapy is associated with better outcomes among patients with infective endocarditis (IE) remains controversial. A retrospective study was conducted concerning all patients with IE, treated in a tertiary-care centre of Canada between 1991 and 2006, who satisfied the modified Duke criteria for a definite or possible IE. The primary outcome was all-cause mortality within 90 days of diagnosis. ⋯ Chronic antiplatelet therapy was not associated with a significantly lower risk of major embolism. In conclusion, chronic antiplatelet therapy was associated with lower mortality among patients with IE, independently of any effect on major embolism. Whether or not a beneficial effect could be replicated by initiating antiplatelet therapy at the time of diagnosis remains unproven.