Acute Q fever and the risk of developing endocarditis.

Abstract

OBJECTIVES:

Assess clinical and serological data as parameters indicative of a possible evolution to endocarditis after an episode of acute Q fever.

PATIENTS AND METHODS:

Retrospective cohort study of evolution to endocarditis after an acute Q fever episode, analyzing the clinical and serological evolution and the antibiotic treatment administered.

RESULTS:

Eighty patients were recruited, 20% of whom had phase i IgG antibody levels ≥ 1:1024 in the first 3 months. Only 44% of the patients underwent antibiotherapy in the acute phase; only 2 patients underwent extended antibiotherapy. Fifteen percent of the patients underwent an echocardiogram. None of the patients had symptoms suggestive of chronic infection or progressed to endocarditis after a median follow-up of 100 months, regardless of the early increase in phase i IgG antibodies.

CONCLUSIONS:

The early increase in phase i IgG antibodies in asymptomatic patients is not associated with progression to endocarditis despite not undergoing prolonged antibiotic treatment.

• Authors: A Martín-Aspas, C Collado-Pérez, L Vela-Manzano, C Fernández-Gutiérrez Del Álamo, I Tinoco-Racero, J A Girón-González
• Journal: Revista clinica espanola (Rev Clin Esp (Barc)) 2015 Jun-Jul Vol. 215 Issue 5 Pg. 265-71 ISSN: 2254-8874 [Electronic] Spain
• Vernacular Title: Fiebre Q aguda: riesgo de desarrollo de endocarditis.
• PMID: 25743166 (Publication Type: Journal Article)
• Copyright: Copyright © 2015 Elsevier España, S.L.U. y Sociedad Española de Medicina Interna (SEMI). All rights reserved.