Cardio-oncology & otherCohort study
Sex-based differences in mortality and prognostic factors for infective endocarditis: insights from a retrospective cohort of 519 patients
- retrospective study
- single-center
Authors' conclusion
Although overall mortality was similar between sexes, male patients and female patients with IE appeared to show different prognostic profiles in this single-center cohort. These preliminary, hypothesis-generating findings suggest that some established risk factors may largely reflect male data, emphasizing the need for larger, multicenter studies to confirm sex-specific determinants and improve individualized management.
Study context
- Population
- Patients ≥16 years hospitalized for definite or possible infective endocarditis (IE) (ESC 2023 criteria) at La Timone Hospital, Marseille, between March 2019 and October 202326% were female patients
- Participants
- 519 patients
- Exposure
- Female patients vs male patients
- Outcome
- One-year mortality
- Follow-up
- One year
Main finding
As reported in the abstract
P = 0.415
Observational data: associations, not effects.
Secondary outcomes
| Outcome | P value |
|---|---|
| Post-discharge mortality · not significantly different between sexes | P = 0.096 |
Valve involvement
- Mitral valve involvement was more frequent in female patients, and aortic involvement predominated in male patients
Independent predictors of mortality
- Independent predictors of mortality included annular complications and lack of surgery
Sex-specific prognostic factors
- in female patients, TAVI and ischemic heart disease were associated with higher mortality
- in male patients, right-sided IE and pacemaker presence were predictive
- fatal cases in male patients were marked by more in-hospital complications (heart failure, cardiogenic or septic shock, acute renal failure)
- exploratory analysis
Original publication
Sex-based differences in mortality and prognostic factors for infective endocarditis: insights from a retrospective cohort of 519 patients. Am Heart J. Published 6 October 2026. doi:10.1016/j.ahj.2026.107621
Summarised from the published abstract; every number is checked against it