How to Hide a Clique?

In the well known planted clique problem, a clique (or alternatively, an independent set) of size k is planted at random in an Erdos-Renyi random G(n, p) graph, and the goal is to design an algorithm that finds the maximum clique (or independent set) in the resulting graph. We introduce a variation on this problem, where instead of planting the clique at random, the clique is planted by an adversary who attempts to make it difficult to find the maximum clique in the resulting graph. We show that for the standard setting of the parameters of the problem, namely, a clique of size k = ?n planted in a random G(n, 1/2) graph, the known polynomial time algorithms can be extended (in a non-trivial way) to work also in the adversarial setting. In contrast, we show that for other natural settings of the parameters, such as planting an independent set of size k = n/2 in a G(n, p) graph with p = n^{-1/2}, there is no polynomial time algorithm that finds an independent set of size k, unless NP has randomized polynomial time algorithms

Approximating Star Cover Problems

Given a metric space $(F \cup C, d)$, we consider star covers of $C$ with balanced loads. A star is a pair $(f, C_f)$ where $f \in F$ and $C_f \subseteq C$, and the load of a star is $\sum_{c \in C_f} d(f, c)$. In minimum load $k$-star cover problem $(\mathrm{MLkSC})$, one tries to cover the set of clients $C$ using $k$ stars that minimize the maximum load of a star, and in minimum size star cover $(\mathrm{MSSC})$ one aims to find the minimum number of stars of load at most $T$ needed to cover $C$, where $T$ is a given parameter. We obtain new bicriteria approximations for the two problems using novel rounding algorithms for their standard LP relaxations. For $\mathrm{MLkSC}$, we find a star cover with $(1+\varepsilon)k$ stars and $O(1/\varepsilon^2)\mathrm{OPT}_{\mathrm{MLk}}$ load where $\mathrm{OPT}_{\mathrm{MLk}}$ is the optimum load. For $\mathrm{MSSC}$, we find a star cover with $O(1/\varepsilon^2) \mathrm{OPT}_{\mathrm{MS}}$ stars of load at most $(2 + \varepsilon) T$ where $\mathrm{OPT}_{\mathrm{MS}}$ is the optimal number of stars for the problem. Previously, non-trivial bicriteria approximations were known only when $F = C$

Infective Endocarditis in Patients on Chronic Hemodialysis

International audienceInfective endocarditis (IE) is a common and serious complication in patients receiving chronic hemodialysis (HD)

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

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

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

Infective Endocarditis After Transcatheter Versus Surgical Aortic Valve Replacement

Abstract Background Scarce data are available comparing infective endocarditis (IE) following surgical aortic valve replacement (SAVR) and transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR). This study aimed to compare the clinical presentation, microbiological profile, management, and outcomes of IE after SAVR versus TAVR. Methods Data were collected from the “Infectious Endocarditis after TAVR International” (enrollment from 2005 to 2020) and the “International Collaboration on Endocarditis” (enrollment from 2000 to 2012) registries. Only patients with an IE affecting the aortic valve prosthesis were included. A 1:1 paired matching approach was used to compare patients with TAVR and SAVR. Results A total of 1688 patients were included. Of them, 602 (35.7%) had a surgical bioprosthesis (SB), 666 (39.5%) a mechanical prosthesis, 70 (4.2%) a homograft, and 350 (20.7%) a transcatheter heart valve. In the SAVR versus TAVR matched population, the rate of new moderate or severe aortic regurgitation was higher in the SB group (43.4% vs 13.5%; P < .001), and fewer vegetations were diagnosed in the SB group (62.5% vs 82%; P < .001). Patients with an SB had a higher rate of perivalvular extension (47.9% vs 27%; P < .001) and Staphylococcus aureus was less common in this group (13.4% vs 22%; P = .033). Despite a higher rate of surgery in patients with SB (44.4% vs 27.3%; P < .001), 1-year mortality was similar (SB: 46.5%; TAVR: 44.8%; log-rank P = .697). Conclusions Clinical presentation, type of causative microorganism, and treatment differed between patients with an IE located on SB compared with TAVR. Despite these differences, both groups exhibited high and similar mortality at 1-year follow-up