Infective endocarditis in patients with cardiac implantable electronic devices: a nationwide study

Patients with infective endocarditis (IE) frequently have cardiac implantable electronic devices (CIEDs). Here, we aim to define the clinical profile and prognostic factors of IE in these patients.

Infective endocarditis cases were prospectively identified in the Spanish National Endocarditis Registry. From 3996 IE, 708 (17.7%) had a CIED and 424 CIED-related IE (lead vegetation). Patients with a CIED were older (68 ± 11 vs. 73 ± 8 years); had more comorbidities {pulmonary disease [176 (24.8%) vs. 545 (16.7%)], renal disease [239 (33.8%) vs. 740 (22.7%)], diabetes [248 (35.0%) vs. 867 (26.6%)], and heart failure [348 (49.2%) vs. 978 (29.9%)]}; and fewer complications {intracardiac destruction [106 (15%) vs. 1077 (33.1%)], heart failure [215 (30.3%) vs. 1340 (41.1%)], embolism [107 (15.1%) vs. 714 (21.9%)], and neurological involvement [77 (10.8%) vs. 702 (21.5%)]} (all P-values <0.001) in comparison to subjects without a CIED. In-hospital mortality was similar in patients with and without CIED [171 (24.2%) vs. 881 (27.0%), P = 0.82]. In subjects with a CIED, CIED-related IE was independently associated with in-hospital survival: odds ratio (OR) 0.4 [95% confidence interval (CI) 0.3–0.7, P = 0.001]. Surgery was independently associated with in-hospital survival in CIED-related IE: OR 0.4 (95% CI 0.2–0.7, P = 0.004); but not in subjects with valve IE and no CIED lead involvement: OR 0.9 (95% CI 0.5–1.7, P = 0.77).

Over a sixth of IE patients have a CIED. This group of patients is older, with more comorbidities and fewer IE-related complications in comparison to subjects without a CIED. In-hospital mortality was similar in patients with and without a CIED.