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Prosthetic valve endocarditis (PVE), although uncommon, is potentially lethal. Our current understanding of this condition is based largely on studies with size or design limitations. Now, researchers have analyzed data from a prospective, contemporary, 28-country registry of endocarditis to learn more about PVE prevalence, clinical characteristics, and outcomes.
From June 2000 through August 2005, 3250 patients from 61 centers were enrolled. Of 2670 patients with definite infective endocarditis, 556 (20.8%) had PVE. A prosthetic aortic valve was present in 384 such patients, a prosthetic mitral valve or ring in 280, a prosthetic tricuspid valve or ring in 52, and a prosthetic pulmonic valve in 31. One hundred twenty-seven patients died whil…