The SHERPA project: Smart collaboration between humans and ground-aerial robots for improving rescuing activities in alpine environments

The goal of the paper is to present the foreseen research activity of the European project “SHERPA‿ whose activities will start officially on February 1th 2013. The goal of SHERPA is to develop a mixed ground and aerial robotic platform to support search and rescue activities in a real-world hostile environment, like the alpine scenario that is specifically targeted in the project. Looking into the technological platform and the alpine rescuing scenario, we plan to address a number of research topics about cognition and control. What makes the project potentially very rich from a scientific viewpoint is the heterogeneity and the capabilities to be owned by the different actors of the SHERPA system: the human rescuer is the “busy genius‿, working in team with the ground vehicle, as the “intelligent donkey‿, and with the aerial platforms, i.e. the “trained wasps‿ and “patrolling hawks‿. Indeed, the research activity focuses on how the “busy genius‿ and the “SHERPA animals‿ interact and collaborate with each other, with their own features and capabilities, toward the achievement of a common goal

Part-based geometric categorization and object reconstruction in cluttered table-top scenes

This paper presents an approach for 3D geometry-based object categorization in cluttered table-top scenes. In our method, objects are decomposed into different geometric parts whose spatial arrangement is represented by a graph. The matching and searching of graphs representing the objects is sped up by using a hash table which contains possible spatial configurations of the different parts that constitute the objects. Additive feature descriptors are used to label partially or completely visible object parts. In this work we categorize objects into five geometric shapes: sphere, box, flat, cylindrical, and disk/plate, as these shapes represent the majority of objects found on tables in typical households. Moreover, we reconstruct complete 3D models that include the invisible back-sides of objects as well, in order to facilitate manipulation by domestic service robots. Finally, we present an extensive set of experiments on point clouds of objects using an RGBD camera, and our results highlight the improvements over previous methods. © 2014 Springer Science+Business Media Dordrecht

Validated risk score for predicting 6-month mortality in infective endocarditis

Background-Host factors and complications have been associated with higher mortality in infective endocarditis (IE). We sought to develop and validate a model of clinical characteristics to predict 6-month mortality in IE. Methods and Results-Using a large multinational prospective registry of definite IE (International Collaboration on Endocarditis [ICE]-Prospective Cohort Study [PCS], 2000-2006, n=4049), a model to predict 6-month survival was developed by Cox proportional hazards modeling with inverse probability weighting for surgery treatment and was internally validated by the bootstrapping method. This model was externally validated in an independent prospective registry (ICE-PLUS, 2008-2012, n=1197). The 6-month mortality was 971 of 4049 (24.0%) in the ICE-PCS cohort and 342 of 1197 (28.6%) in the ICE-PLUS cohort. Surgery during the index hospitalization was performed in 48.1% and 54.0% of the cohorts, respectively. In the derivation model, variables related to host factors (age, dialysis), IE characteristics (prosthetic or nosocomial IE, causative organism, left-sided valve vegetation), and IE complications (severe heart failure, stroke, paravalvular complication, and persistent bacteremia) were independently associated with 6-month mortality, and surgery was associated with a lower risk of mortality (Harrell's C statistic 0.715). In the validation model, these variables had similar hazard ratios (Harrell's C statistic 0.682), with a similar, independent benefit of surgery (hazard ratio 0.74, 95% CI 0.62-0.89). A simplified risk model was developed by weight adjustment of these variables. Conclusions-Six-month mortality after IE is 25% and is predicted by host factors, IE characteristics, and IE complications. Surgery during the index hospitalization is associated with lower mortality but is performed less frequently in the highest risk patients. A simplified risk model may be used to identify specific risk subgroups in IE

Infective Endocarditis in Patients on Chronic Hemodialysis

295sinoneBackground: Infective endocarditis (IE) is a common and serious complication in patients receiving chronic hemodialysis (HD). Objectives: This study sought to investigate whether there are significant differences in complications, cardiac surgery, relapses, and mortality between IE cases in HD and non-HD patients. Methods: Prospective cohort study (International Collaboration on Endocarditis databases, encompassing 7,715 IE episodes from 2000 to 2006 and from 2008 to 2012). Descriptive analysis of baseline characteristics, epidemiological and etiological features, complications and outcomes, and their comparison between HD and non-HD patients was performed. Risk factors for major embolic events, cardiac surgery, relapses, and in-hospital and 6-month mortality were investigated in HD-patients using multivariable logistic regression. Results: A total of 6,691 patients were included and 553 (8.3%) received HD. North America had a higher HD-IE proportion than the other regions. The predominant microorganism was Staphylococcus aureus (47.8%), followed by enterococci (15.4%). Both in-hospital and 6-month mortality were significantly higher in HD versus non–HD-IE patients (30.4% vs. 17% and 39.8% vs. 20.7%, respectively; p < 0.001). Cardiac surgery was less frequently performed among HD patients (30.6% vs. 46.2%; p < 0.001), whereas relapses were higher (9.4% vs. 2.7%; p < 0.001). Risk factors for 6-month mortality included Charlson score (hazard ratio [HR]: 1.26; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.11 to 1.44; p = 0.001), CNS emboli and other emboli (HR: 3.11; 95% CI: 1.84 to 5.27; p < 0.001; and HR: 1.73; 95% CI: 1.02 to 2.93; p = 0.04, respectively), persistent bacteremia (HR: 1.79; 95% CI: 1.11 to 2.88; p = 0.02), and acute onset heart failure (HR: 2.37; 95% CI: 1.49 to 3.78; p < 0.001). Conclusions: HD-IE is a health care–associated infection chiefly caused by S. aureus, with increasing rates of enterococcal IE. Mortality and relapses are very high and significantly larger than in non–HD-IE patients, whereas cardiac surgery is less frequently performed.nonePericas J.M.; Llopis J.; Jimenez-Exposito M.J.; Kourany W.M.; Almirante B.; Carosi G.; Durante-Mangoni E.; Fortes C.Q.; Giannitsioti E.; Lerakis S.; Montagna-Mella R.; Ambrosioni J.; Tan R.-S.; Mestres C.A.; Wray D.; Pachirat O.; Moreno A.; Chu V.H.; de Lazzari E.; Fowler V.G.; Miro J.M.; Clara L.; Sanchez M.; Casabe J.; Cortes C.; Nacinovich F.; Oses P.F.; Ronderos R.; Sucari A.; Thierer J.; Altclas J.; Kogan S.; Spelman D.; Athan E.; Harris O.; Kennedy K.; Tan R.; Gordon D.; Papanicolas L.; Korman T.; Kotsanas D.; Dever R.; Jones P.; Konecny P.; Lawrence R.; Rees D.; Ryan S.; Feneley M.P.; Harkness J.; Post J.; Reinbott P.; Gattringer R.; Wiesbauer F.; Andrade A.R.; Passos de Brito A.C.; Guimaraes A.C.; Grinberg M.; Mansur A.J.; Siciliano R.F.; Varejao Strabelli T.M.; Campos Vieira M.L.; de Medeiros Tranchesi R.A.; Paiva M.G.; de Oliveira Ramos A.; Weksler C.; Ferraiuoli G.; Golebiovski W.; Lamas C.; Karlowsky J.A.; Keynan Y.; Morris A.M.; Rubinstein E.; Jones S.B.; Garcia P.; Cereceda M.; Fica A.; Mella R.M.; Fernandez R.; Franco L.; Gonzalez J.; Jaramillo A.N.; Barsic B.; Bukovski S.; Krajinovic V.; Pangercic A.; Rudez I.; Vincelj J.; Freiberger T.; Pol J.; Zaloudikova B.; Ashour Z.; El Kholy A.; Mishaal M.; Osama D.; Rizk H.; Aissa N.; Alauzet C.; Alla F.; Campagnac C.C.; Doco-Lecompte T.; Selton-Suty C.; Casalta J.-P.; Fournier P.-E.; Habib G.; Raoult D.; Thuny F.; Delahaye F.; Delahaye A.; Vandenesch F.; Donal E.; Donnio P.Y.; Flecher E.; Michelet C.; Revest M.; Tattevin P.; Chevalier F.; Jeu A.; Remadi J.P.; Rusinaru D.; Tribouilloy C.; Bernard Y.; Chirouze C.; Hoen B.; Leroy J.; Plesiat P.; Naber C.; Neuerburg C.; Mazaheri B.; Sophia Athanasia C.N.; Deliolanis I.; Giamarellou H.; Thomas T.; Mylona E.; Paniara O.; Papanicolaou K.; Pyros J.; Skoutelis A.; Papanikolaou K.; Sharma G.; Francis J.; Nair L.; Thomas V.; Venugopal K.; Hannan M.M.; Hurley J.P.; Wanounou M.; Gilon D.; Israel S.; Korem M.; Strahilevitz J.; Iossa D.; Orlando S.; Ursi M.P.; Pafundi P.C.; D'Amico F.; Bernardo M.; Cuccurullo S.; Dialetto G.; Covino F.E.; Manduca S.; Della Corte A.; De Feo M.; Tripodi M.F.; Cecchi E.; De Rosa F.; Forno D.; Imazio M.; Trinchero R.; Grossi P.; Lattanzio M.; Toniolo A.; Goglio A.; Raglio A.; Ravasio V.; Rizzi M.; Suter F.; Magri S.; Signorini L.; Kanafani Z.; Kanj S.S.; Sharif-Yakan A.; Abidin I.; Tamin S.S.; Martinez E.R.; Soto Nieto G.I.; van der Meer J.T.M.; Chambers S.; Holland D.; Morris A.; Raymond N.; Read K.; Murdoch D.R.; Dragulescu S.; Ionac A.; Mornos C.; Butkevich O.M.; Chipigina N.; Kirill O.; Vadim K.; Vinogradova T.; Edathodu J.; Halim M.; Liew Y.-Y.; Lejko-Zupanc T.; Logar M.; Mueller-Premru M.; Commerford P.; Commerford A.; Deetlefs E.; Hansa C.; Ntsekhe M.; Almela M.; Azqueta M.; Brunet M.; Castro P.; Falces C.; Fuster D.; Fita G.; Garcia- de- la- Maria C.; Garcia-Gonzalez J.; Gatell J.M.; Marco F.; Miro J.M.; Ortiz J.; Ninot S.; Pare J.C.; Pericas J.M.; Quintana E.; Ramirez J.; Rovira I.; Sandoval E.; Sitges M.; Tellez A.; Tolosana J.M.; Vidal B.; Vila J.; Anguera I.; Font B.; Guma J.R.; Bermejo J.; Bouza E.; Garcia Fernandez M.A.; Gonzalez-Ramallo V.; Marin M.; Munoz P.; Pedromingo M.; Roda J.; Rodriguez-Creixems M.; Solis J.; Fernandez-Hidalgo N.; Tornos P.; de Alarcon A.; Parra R.; Alestig E.; Johansson M.; Olaison L.; Snygg-Martin U.; Pachirat P.; Pussadhamma B.; Senthong V.; Casey A.; Elliott T.; Lambert P.; Watkin R.; Eyton C.; Klein J.L.; Bradley S.; Kauffman C.; Bedimo R.; Corey G.R.; Crowley A.L.; Douglas P.; Drew L.; Holland T.; Lalani T.; Mudrick D.; Samad Z.; Sexton D.; Stryjewski M.; Wang A.; Woods C.W.; Cantey R.; Steed L.; Dickerman S.A.; Bonilla H.; DiPersio J.; Salstrom S.-J.; Baddley J.; Patel M.; Peterson G.; Stancoven A.; Levine D.; Riddle J.; Rybak M.; Cabell C.H.Pericas, J. M.; Llopis, J.; Jimenez-Exposito, M. J.; Kourany, W. M.; Almirante, B.; Carosi, G.; Durante-Mangoni, E.; Fortes, C. Q.; Giannitsioti, E.; Lerakis, S.; Montagna-Mella, R.; Ambrosioni, J.; Tan, R. -S.; Mestres, C. A.; Wray, D.; Pachirat, O.; Moreno, A.; Chu, V. H.; de Lazzari, E.; Fowler, V. G.; Miro, J. M.; Clara, L.; Sanchez, M.; Casabe, J.; Cortes, C.; Nacinovich, F.; Oses, P. F.; Ronderos, R.; Sucari, A.; Thierer, J.; Altclas, J.; Kogan, S.; Spelman, D.; Athan, E.; Harris, O.; Kennedy, K.; Tan, R.; Gordon, D.; Papanicolas, L.; Korman, T.; Kotsanas, D.; Dever, R.; Jones, P.; Konecny, P.; Lawrence, R.; Rees, D.; Ryan, S.; Feneley, M. P.; Harkness, J.; Post, J.; Reinbott, P.; Gattringer, R.; Wiesbauer, F.; Andrade, A. R.; Passos de Brito, A. C.; Guimaraes, A. C.; Grinberg, M.; Mansur, A. J.; Siciliano, R. F.; Varejao Strabelli, T. M.; Campos Vieira, M. L.; de Medeiros Tranchesi, R. A.; Paiva, M. G.; de Oliveira Ramos, A.; Weksler, C.; Ferraiuoli, G.; Golebiovski, W.; Lamas, C.; Karlowsky, J. A.; Keynan, Y.; Morris, A. M.; Rubinstein, E.; Jones, S. B.; Garcia, P.; Cereceda, M.; Fica, A.; Mella, R. M.; Fernandez, R.; Franco, L.; Gonzalez, J.; Jaramillo, A. N.; Barsic, B.; Bukovski, S.; Krajinovic, V.; Pangercic, A.; Rudez, I.; Vincelj, J.; Freiberger, T.; Pol, J.; Zaloudikova, B.; Ashour, Z.; El Kholy, A.; Mishaal, M.; Osama, D.; Rizk, H.; Aissa, N.; Alauzet, C.; Alla, F.; Campagnac, C. C.; Doco-Lecompte, T.; Selton-Suty, C.; Casalta, J. -P.; Fournier, P. -E.; Habib, G.; Raoult, D.; Thuny, F.; Delahaye, F.; Delahaye, A.; Vandenesch, F.; Donal, E.; Donnio, P. Y.; Flecher, E.; Michelet, C.; Revest, M.; Tattevin, P.; Chevalier, F.; Jeu, A.; Remadi, J. P.; Rusinaru, D.; Tribouilloy, C.; Bernard, Y.; Chirouze, C.; Hoen, B.; Leroy, J.; Plesiat, P.; Naber, C.; Neuerburg, C.; Mazaheri, B.; Sophia Athanasia, C. N.; Deliolanis, I.; Giamarellou, H.; Thomas, T.; Mylona, E.; Paniara, O.; Papanicolaou, K.; Pyros, J.; Skoutelis, A.; Papanikolaou, K.; Sharma, G.; Francis, J.; Nair, L.; Thomas, V.; Venugopal, K.; Hannan, M. M.; Hurley, J. P.; Wanounou, M.; Gilon, D.; Israel, S.; Korem, M.; Strahilevitz, J.; Iossa, D.; Orlando, S.; Ursi, M. P.; Pafundi, P. C.; D'Amico, F.; Bernardo, M.; Cuccurullo, S.; Dialetto, G.; Covino, F. E.; Manduca, S.; Della Corte, A.; De Feo, M.; Tripodi, M. F.; Cecchi, E.; De Rosa, F.; Forno, D.; Imazio, M.; Trinchero, R.; Grossi, P.; Lattanzio, M.; Toniolo, A.; Goglio, A.; Raglio, A.; Ravasio, V.; Rizzi, M.; Suter, F.; Magri, S.; Signorini, L.; Kanafani, Z.; Kanj, S. S.; Sharif-Yakan, A.; Abidin, I.; Tamin, S. S.; Martinez, E. R.; Soto Nieto, G. I.; van der Meer, J. T. M.; Chambers, S.; Holland, D.; Morris, A.; Raymond, N.; Read, K.; Murdoch, D. R.; Dragulescu, S.; Ionac, A.; Mornos, C.; Butkevich, O. M.; Chipigina, N.; Kirill, O.; Vadim, K.; Vinogradova, T.; Edathodu, J.; Halim, M.; Liew, Y. -Y.; Lejko-Zupanc, T.; Logar, M.; Mueller-Premru, M.; Commerford, P.; Commerford, A.; Deetlefs, E.; Hansa, C.; Ntsekhe, M.; Almela, M.; Azqueta, M.; Brunet, M.; Castro, P.; Falces, C.; Fuster, D.; Fita, G.; Garcia- de- la- Maria, C.; Garcia-Gonzalez, J.; Gatell, J. M.; Marco, F.; Miro, J. M.; Ortiz, J.; Ninot, S.; Pare, J. C.; Pericas, J. M.; Quintana, E.; Ramirez, J.; Rovira, I.; Sandoval, E.; Sitges, M.; Tellez, A.; Tolosana, J. M.; Vidal, B.; Vila, J.; Anguera, I.; Font, B.; Guma, J. R.; Bermejo, J.; Bouza, E.; Garcia Fernandez, M. A.; Gonzalez-Ramallo, V.; Marin, M.; Munoz, P.; Pedromingo, M.; Roda, J.; Rodriguez-Creixems, M.; Solis, J.; Fernandez-Hidalgo, N.; Tornos, P.; de Alarcon, A.; Parra, R.; Alestig, E.; Johansson, M.; Olaison, L.; Snygg-Martin, U.; Pachirat, P.; Pussadhamma, B.; Senthong, V.; Casey, A.; Elliott, T.; Lambert, P.; Watkin, R.; Eyton, C.; Klein, J. L.; Bradley, S.; Kauffman, C.; Bedimo, R.; Corey, G. R.; Crowley, A. L.; Douglas, P.; Drew, L.; Holland, T.; Lalani, T.; Mudrick, D.; Samad, Z.; Sexton, D.; Stryjewski, M.; Wang, A.; Woods, C. W.; Cantey, R.; Steed, L.; Dickerman, S. A.; Bonilla, H.; Dipersio, J.; Salstrom, S. -J.; Baddley, J.; Patel, M.; Peterson, G.; Stancoven, A.; Levine, D.; Riddle, J.; Rybak, M.; Cabell, C. H

Impact of early valve surgery on outcome of Staphylococcus aureus prosthetic valve infective endocarditis: analysis in the international collaboration of Endocarditis-Prospective Cohort Study

Background. The impact of early valve surgery (EVS) on the outcome of Staphylococcus aureus (SA) prosthetic valve infective endocarditis (PVIE) is unresolved. The objective of this study was to evaluate the association between EVS, performed within the first 60 days of hospitalization, and outcome of SA PVIE within the International Collaboration on Endocarditis–Prospective Cohort Study. Methods. Participants were enrolled between June 2000 and December 2006. Cox proportional hazards modeling that included surgery as a time-dependent covariate and propensity adjustment for likelihood to receive cardiac surgery was used to evaluate the impact of EVS and 1-year all-cause mortality on patients with definite left-sided S. aureus PVIE and no history of injection drug use. Results. EVS was performed in 74 of the 168 (44.3%) patients. One-year mortality was significantly higher among patients with S. aureus PVIE than in patients with non–S. aureus PVIE (48.2% vs 32.9%; P = .003). Staphylococcus aureus PVIE patients who underwent EVS had a significantly lower 1-year mortality rate (33.8% vs 59.1%; P = .001). In multivariate, propensity-adjusted models, EVS was not associated with 1-year mortality (risk ratio, 0.67 [95% confidence interval, .39–1.15]; P = .15). Conclusions. In this prospective, multinational cohort of patients with S. aureus PVIE, EVS was not associated with reduced 1-year mortality. The decision to pursue EVS should be individualized for each patient, based upon infection-specific characteristics rather than solely upon the microbiology of the infection causing PVIE

Impact of early valve surgery on outcome of staphylococcus aureus prosthetic valve infective endocarditis: Analysis in the international collaboration of endocarditis-prospective cohort study

Background. The impact of early valve surgery (EVS) on the outcome of Staphylococcus aureus (SA) prosthetic valve infective endocarditis (PVIE) is unresolved. The objective of this study was to evaluate the association between EVS, performed within the first 60 days of hospitalization, and outcome of SA PVIE within the International Collaboration on Endocarditis-Prospective Cohort Study. Methods. Participants were enrolled between June 2000 and December 2006. Cox proportional hazards modeling that included surgery as a time-dependent covariate and propensity adjustment for likelihood to receive cardiac surgery was used to evaluate the impact of EVS and 1-year all-cause mortality on patients with definite left-sided S. aureus PVIE and no history of injection drug use. Results. EVS was performed in 74 of the 168 (44.3%) patients. One-year mortality was significantly higher among patients with S. aureus PVIE than in patients with non-S. aureus PVIE (48.2% vs 32.9%; P = .003). Staphylococcus aureus PVIE patients who underwent EVS had a significantly lower 1-year mortality rate (33.8% vs 59.1%; P = .001). In multivariate, propensity-adjusted models, EVS was not associated with 1-year mortality (risk ratio, 0.67 [95% confidence interval, .39-1.15]; P = .15). Conclusions. In this prospective, multinational cohort of patients with S. aureus PVIE, EVS was not associated with reduced 1-year mortality. The decision to pursue EVS should be individualized for each patient, based upon infection-specific characteristics rather than solely upon the microbiology of the infection causing PVIE

Influence of the timing of cardiac surgery on the outcome of patients with infective endocarditis and stroke.

BACKGROUND: The timing of cardiac surgery after stroke in infective endocarditis (IE) remains controversial. We examined the relationship between the timing of surgery after stroke and the incidence of in-hospital and 1-year mortalities. METHODS: Data were obtained from the International Collaboration on Endocarditis-Prospective Cohort Study of 4794 patients with definite IE who were admitted to 64 centers from June 2000 through December 2006. Multivariate logistic regression and Cox regression analyses were performed to estimate the impact of early surgery on hospital and 1-year mortality after adjustments for other significant covariates. RESULTS: Of the 857 patients with IE complicated by ischemic stroke syndromes, 198 who underwent valve replacement surgery poststroke were available for analysis. Overall, 58 (29.3%) patients underwent early surgical treatment vs 140 (70.7%) patients who underwent late surgical treatment. After adjustment for other risk factors, early surgery was not significantly associated with increased in-hospital mortality rates (odds ratio, 2.308; 95% confidence interval [CI], .942-5.652). Overall, probability of death after 1-year follow-up did not differ between 2 treatment groups (27.1% in early surgery and 19.2% in late surgery group, P = .328; adjusted hazard ratio, 1.138; 95% CI, .802-1.650). CONCLUSIONS: There is no apparent survival benefit in delaying surgery when indicated in IE patients after ischemic stroke. Further observational analyses that include detailed pre- and postoperative clinical neurologic findings and advanced imaging data (eg, ischemic stroke size), may allow for more refined recommendations on the optimal timing of valvular surgery in patients with IE and recent stroke syndromes

Impact of early valve surgery on outcome of staphylococcus aureus prosthetic valve infective endocarditis: Analysis in the international collaboration of endocarditis-prospective cohort study

Background. The impact of early valve surgery (EVS) on the outcome of Staphylococcus aureus (SA) prosthetic valve infective endocarditis (PVIE) is unresolved. The objective of this study was to evaluate the association between EVS, performed within the first 60 days of hospitalization, and outcome of SA PVIE within the International Collaboration on Endocarditis-Prospective Cohort Study. Methods. Participants were enrolled between June 2000 and December 2006. Cox proportional hazards modeling that included surgery as a time-dependent covariate and propensity adjustment for likelihood to receive cardiac surgery was used to evaluate the impact of EVS and 1-year all-cause mortality on patients with definite left-sided S. aureus PVIE and no history of injection drug use. Results. EVS was performed in 74 of the 168 (44.3%) patients. One-year mortality was significantly higher among patients with S. aureus PVIE than in patients with non-S. aureus PVIE (48.2% vs 32.9%; P = .003). Staphylococcus aureus PVIE patients who underwent EVS had a significantly lower 1-year mortality rate (33.8% vs 59.1%; P = .001). In multivariate, propensity-adjusted models, EVS was not associated with 1-year mortality (risk ratio, 0.67 [95% confidence interval, .39-1.15]; P = .15). Conclusions. In this prospective, multinational cohort of patients with S. aureus PVIE, EVS was not associated with reduced 1-year mortality. The decision to pursue EVS should be individualized for each patient, based upon infection-specific characteristics rather than solely upon the microbiology of the infection causing PVIE

HACEK infective endocarditis: characteristics and outcomes from a large, multi-national cohort.

The HACEK organisms (Haemophilus species, Aggregatibacter species, Cardiobacterium hominis, Eikenella corrodens, and Kingella species) are rare causes of infective endocarditis (IE). The objective of this study is to describe the clinical characteristics and outcomes of patients with HACEK endocarditis (HE) in a large multi-national cohort. Patients hospitalized with definite or possible infective endocarditis by the International Collaboration on Endocarditis Prospective Cohort Study in 64 hospitals from 28 countries were included and characteristics of HE patients compared with IE due to other pathogens. Of 5591 patients enrolled, 77 (1.4%) had HE. HE was associated with a younger age (47 vs. 61 years; p<0.001), a higher prevalence of immunologic/vascular manifestations (32% vs. 20%; p<0.008) and stroke (25% vs. 17% p = 0.05) but a lower prevalence of congestive heart failure (15% vs. 30%; p = 0.004), death in-hospital (4% vs. 18%; p = 0.001) or after 1 year follow-up (6% vs. 20%; p = 0.01) than IE due to other pathogens (n = 5514). On multivariable analysis, stroke was associated with mitral valve vegetations (OR 3.60; CI 1.34-9.65; p<0.01) and younger age (OR 0.62; CI 0.49-0.90; p<0.01). The overall outcome of HE was excellent with the in-hospital mortality (4%) significantly better than for non-HE (18%; p<0.001). Prosthetic valve endocarditis was more common in HE (35%) than non-HE (24%). The outcome of prosthetic valve and native valve HE was excellent whether treated medically or with surgery. Current treatment is very successful for the management of both native valve prosthetic valve HE but further studies are needed to determine why HE has a predilection for younger people and to cause stroke. The small number of patients and observational design limit inferences on treatment strategies. Self selection of study sites limits epidemiological inferences