Abdominal pain of cardiovascular origin. 2018

Pedro Epifânio, and Maria Emanuel Amaral, and Natália Noronha, and Paula Martins, and Dina Rodrigues, and António Pires, and Eduardo Castela
Hospital Pediátrico de Coimbra, Serviço de Cardiologia Pediátrica, Coimbra, Portugal. Electronic address: p.pires.epifanio@gmail.com.

Infective endocarditis is a microbial infection of the endocardium and it is rare in the pediatric population. In children, congenital heart disease is one of the most important risk factors for developing infective endocarditis and can involve other structures in addition to cardiac valves. The prognosis is generally better than in other forms of endocarditis, although the average mortality rate in the pediatric population is 15-25%. Clinical manifestations can mimic other diseases such as meningitis and collagen-vascular disease or vasculitis. Therefore, a high degree of suspicion is required to make an early diagnosis. Gram-positive bacteria, specifically alpha-hemolytic streptococci, Staphylococcus aureus and coagulase-negative staphylococci, are the most commonly involved bacteria. Diagnosis is based on the modified Duke criteria, which rely mostly on clinical assessment, echocardiography and blood cultures. Antibacterial treatment should ideally be targeted. However, if no specific bacteria have been identified, patients should promptly be treated empirically with multiple drug regimens based on local resistance and the most common etiologies. The authors describe a case of a seven-year-old girl with classic clinical signs of endocarditis, with a clinical twist.

UI MeSH Term Description Entries
D002648 Child A person 6 to 12 years of age. An individual 2 to 5 years old is CHILD, PRESCHOOL. Children
D004697 Endocarditis, Bacterial Inflammation of the ENDOCARDIUM caused by BACTERIA that entered the bloodstream. The strains of bacteria vary with predisposing factors, such as CONGENITAL HEART DEFECTS; HEART VALVE DISEASES; HEART VALVE PROSTHESIS IMPLANTATION; or intravenous drug use. Bacterial Endocarditides,Bacterial Endocarditis,Endocarditides, Bacterial
D005260 Female Females
D006801 Humans Members of the species Homo sapiens. Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D013203 Staphylococcal Infections Infections with bacteria of the genus STAPHYLOCOCCUS. Infections, Staphylococcal,Staphylococcus aureus Infection,Staphylococcal Infection,Staphylococcus aureus Infections
D015746 Abdominal Pain Sensation of discomfort, distress, or agony in the abdominal region. Colicky Pain,Abdominal Pains,Colicky Pains,Pain, Abdominal,Pain, Colicky,Pains, Abdominal,Pains, Colicky

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