Characteristics of patients with infective endocarditis undergoing surgery: a retrospective case series from Vietnam.

Objectives: Infective endocarditis (IE) is a life-threatening infection of the inner lining of the heart resulting in severe complications such as valvular destruction and systemic embolism. Surgical intervention is often required to manage advanced cases. This study describes the clinical, paraclinical, and microbiological characteristics of patients with IE undergoing valve surgery at a tertiary cardiovascular centre in a developing country. Methods: This retrospective study analysed 176 patients with IE who underwent valve surgery at a single centre in Vietnam between January 2019 and December 2023. Results: The mean age of the cohort was 43.6 ± 15.9 years, with 62.5 % male patients and 13.5 % having a history of cardiac surgery. Mitral valve involvement was the most common lesion (94.9 %), predominantly presenting as regurgitation (96.4 %). The mean white blood cell count was 10.3 ± 8.6 K/μL, indicating an inflammatory response. Blood cultures were positive in 67.5 % of cases, with Viridans streptococci (34.6 %) and Streptococcus spp. (34.6 %) being the most frequently identified pathogens. Conclusions: This study provides comprehensive data on patients with IE undergoing surgery in Vietnam, highlighting the importance of early diagnosis, microbiological identification, and surgical intervention for improving patient outcomes in resource-limited settings.