Endocarditis in Greenland with special reference to endocarditis caused by Streptococcus pneumoniae

• Main Authors: Madsen, Rasmus Gaarde, Ladefoged, Karin, Kjaergaard, Jens Jørgen, Andersen, Peter Stemann, Clemmesen, Christopher
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: 2009
• Subjects: Greenland; Circumpolar Health; International Journal of Circumpolar Health; inuit; Alaska
• Online Access: https://curis.ku.dk/portal/da/publications/endocarditis-in-greenland-with-special-reference-to-endocarditis-caused-by-streptococcus-pneumoniae(57f464d0-64ca-11df-928f-000ea68e967b).html

Udgivelsesdato: 2009-Sep OBJECTIVES: The aim of this retrospective study was to determine the incidence and outcome of infectious endocarditis in Greenland with an emphasis on pneumococcal endocarditis. STUDY DESIGN: Retrospective, non-interventional study. METHODS: Review of files and medical history of all patients with infectious endocarditis from the Patient Registry in Greenland in the 11-year period 1995-2005. RESULTS: There were 25 cases of endocarditis, giving an incidence rate of 4.0/100,000 per year. Twenty-four percent of these cases were caused by Streptoccous pneumonia, which is significantly more frequent than in studies on Caucasian populations, where pneumococcal infection was seen in 1-3% of endocarditis cases. The overall mortality rate was 12%. Pneumococcal endocarditis (PE) had the clinical characteristics of fulminant disease with frequent heart failure, complications and need for surgery. Among cases with PE, 67% needed acute valve replacement and the mortality rate was 33%. CONCLUSIONS: The high incidence rate, clinical characteristics and grave prognosis of PE are consistent with another study of an Inuit population in Alaska.