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To evaluate the effects of age on the clinical features and outcomes of infective endocarditis (IE), investigators for the International Collaboration on Endocarditis Prospective Cohort Study enrolled consecutive adults presenting with IE from June 15, 2000, to December 1, 2005. Included were 1056 patients aged 65 or older and 1703 patients younger than 65.
The older group had greater proportions of female patients (36% vs. 30%) and prosthetic-device cases (26% vs. 16%) than did the younger group. Older IE patients were more likely to have diabetes or gastrointestinal or genitourinary cancers, and younger patients were more likely to abuse drugs. A higher percentage of older than younger patients reported at least one invasive procedure with…