TREATMENT OF SUBACUTE BACTERIAL ENDOCARDITIS: CURRENT RESULTS

Abstract

The current results of treatment of subacute bacterial endocarditis are presented by the author. The material comprises a total of 704 cases; 98 from the Mt. Sinai Hosp., N. Y., and 606 collected from the literature or personal communications. The avg. recovery rate was 5.5%. Sulfonamide treated cases recovered at the rate of 4%. Combined with heparinization or artificial fever therapy, the recovery rate was 6.5%. The slightly increased recovery rate with fever therapy is significant since sulfonamide therapy had previously failed in these instances. The heparin cures must be evaluated carefully since this type of treatment was applied in sulfonamide arrested cases and represents a selected material. Spontaneous cures are rated at one %. The present recovery rate is apparently attributable to present day treatment and represents a slight but significant improvement over spontaneous cures. Combined artificial fever and other agents may reinforce the sulfonamide effect and bring about an additional occasional cure. The results of sulfonamide therapy are disappointing in general but represent some advance.