Prevalence of infective endocarditis from dental procedures

Abstract

Introduction: Dental procedures have been associated with bacteremia and infective endocarditis. Objective: The aim of the study was to determine the prevalence of infective endocarditis from dental procedures. Materials and methods: A descriptive, retrospective, and quantitative study was carried out. Records of infective endocarditis were included, from which the general identification, sex, age, socioeconomic status, dental procedure report, type of dental procedure, and non-specified infective endocarditis information were collected. In addition, information was recorded on the type of medical/surgical procedure or associated medical condition. Categorical variables are presented as absolute and relative frequencies. The data were compiled in a spreadsheet for processing in statistical software (SPSS ver. 25). Results: Of the 154 cases of infective endocarditis registered, only one (0.7%) reported an endodontic-type dental procedure before hospitalization. The most reported related cause was catheterization for hemodialysis (37%), followed by unspecified bacteremia (22%) and cardiovascular conditions associated with heart valves and pacemakers (18.8%). In 15.6% of the cases, it was reported as non-specific infective endocarditis. The most frequently isolated microorganisms belonged to the genus Staphylococcus followed by Streptococcus. Conclusions: The frequency of bacterial endocarditis related to dental procedures was < 1%. Medical-surgical procedures remain the most common cause of bacterial endocarditis.