Retrospective 10-year Beijing cohort links S. aureus to severe pediatric infective endocarditis

A retrospective single-center study of 74 children diagnosed with infective endocarditis in Beijing between 2015 and 2024 found that Staphylococcus aureus was the most frequently identified pathogen and was associated with more severe clinical manifestations than other culture-positive bacterial infection. Overall, 12 patients died, a mortality rate of 16.2%. The findings are summarized here from the study abstract, which does not provide the full methods or detailed results.

Predisposing factors were identified in 51 patients (68.9%), including underlying cardiac conditions in 50 (67.6%). Complications occurred in 47 patients (63.5%), while 29 (39.2%) had multi-site infections. Bacterial meningitis was the most frequent manifestation of multi-site infection, affecting 16 patients (21.6%).

Pathogens were identified in 58 patients (78.4%), including S. aureus in 34 cases (45.9% of the full cohort). Compared with patients who had other culture-positive bacterial endocarditis, the S. aureus group had a shorter time to diagnosis (p = 0.008), a lower proportion with predisposing factors (p = 0.039), higher peak temperatures (p = 0.019), and higher C-reactive protein (p = 0.001) and procalcitonin (p < 0.001) levels. The S. aureus group also had higher observed rates of multi-site infection (p < 0.001), bacterial meningitis (p = 0.005), embolic events (p = 0.008), sepsis (p = 0.006), intensive care unit admission (p = 0.032) and death (p = 0.024).

These comparisons describe associations within the cohort and do not establish that S. aureus caused the more severe outcomes. Multivariable analysis identified shock and cerebral hemorrhage as independent predictors of death. The reported odds ratio was 15.294 for shock (95% confidence interval 1.196–95.559; p = 0.036) and 16.743 for cerebral hemorrhage (95% confidence interval 1.285–55.191; p = 0.031).

These estimates are imprecise, as reflected by their wide confidence intervals. The retrospective, single-center design, small sample and selected patient population limit generalizability and prevent estimation of pediatric infective endocarditis incidence across Beijing. Because the report is based only on the abstract, subgroup denominators, detailed methods and the assessment of potential confounding could not be examined.

Subject of Research: Clinical characteristics, microbiology and mortality predictors of pediatric infective endocarditis in a Beijing cohort

Article Title: Clinical characteristics of infective endocarditis in children: a single center of 10-year experience in Beijing

Article References: Xie, Y., Guo, L.-Y., Hu, B., Guo, X., Chen, T.-M., Hu, H.-L., Xiao, Y.-Y., Wang, Q., Zhen, Z., Wang, L.-J., & Liu, G. (2026). Clinical characteristics of infective endocarditis in children: a single center of 10-year experience in Beijing. BMC Pediatrics. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12887-026-07672-y

Image Credits: AI Generated

DOI: 10.1186/s12887-026-07672-y

Keywords: pediatric infective endocarditis, Staphylococcus aureus, Beijing, retrospective cohort, bacterial meningitis, cerebral hemorrhage, shock, child mortality, microbiology, single-center study, Clinical, characteristics