Clinical Research Directory

Endocarditis Clinical Awareness, Research, and Evaluation in Sweden

The goal of this observational study is to improve the understanding of infective endocarditis by investigating clinical characteristics, treatment strategies, and short- and long-term outcomes in patients diagnosed with infective endocarditis in Sweden. The study includes all adults \>18 years of age diagnosed with infective endocarditis in Sweden since 1997 through linkage of nationwide Swedish health data registers within the Endocarditis Clinical Awareness, Research and Evaluation in Sweden (ENDO-CARE) project. For each patient, four individuals from the general population matched on age and sex are included as population comparators. The main questions it aims to answer are: * Which patients with infective endocarditis benefit from valve surgery, and what is the optimal timing of surgery? * Which patient-, disease-, microbiological-, and socioeconomic factors are associated with short- and long-term outcomes, including mortality, recurrent infective endocarditis, heart failure, stroke, and other major complications? * How do long-term outcomes and life expectancy differ between patients with infective endocarditis and matched individuals from the general population? * How have the incidence, management, microbiology, and outcomes of infective endocarditis changed over time? Researchers will compare surgically and non-surgically treated patients, different clinical subgroups, and patients with infective endocarditis with matched population comparators to identify factors associated with treatment decisions, prognosis, and long-term outcomes. Participants will not undergo any study-specific interventions or examinations. The study is based on linkage of existing nationwide Swedish health care and population registers, including data on hospital admissions, cardiac surgery, microbiology, prescribed medications, dental care, socioeconomic factors, and causes of death.