Unfavourable Prognostic Factors in Staphylococcus Aureus Septicemia and Endocarditis

Abstract

Factors predictive of a fatal outcome were retrospectively studied in 248 patients admitted with Staphylococcus aureus septicemia during 1965–1982, 78 of whom had endocarditis. 77 patients were intravenous drug addicts and 47 of them had endocarditis. 48 patients (19.4%) died. The fatality rate in addicts and non-addicts from septicemia was 0% and 17.9% and from endocarditis 8.5% and 61.3%, respectively. After analyzing clinical and laboratory data available early in the course of the disease 4 risk factors were found both in septicemia and endocarditis: age ≥60 yr, pre-existing cardiovascular disease, prior hospitalization within 30 days of onset of illness, and neurological symptoms and/or signs. In addition, in endocarditis a platelet count before therapy <100× 10⁹/1 and left-sided involvement were unfavourable prognostic factors.