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Health-Related Quality of Life of Patients With Infective Endocarditis—A Cross-Sectional Study Based on Data From the DERIVE Cohort

Year: 2026

Type: article

Abstract: Background: Infective endocarditis (IE) remains a severe condition with high morbidity and mortality despite advances in diagnostics and therapy. Health-related quality of life (HRQL) is an important outcome, yet high-quality data on HRQL in patients with IE are limited as most studies focused exclusively on surgically treated patients and did not assess HRQL at a defined time point. Methods: A cross-sectional analysis was performed on HRQL data from 259 patients diagnosed with IE between 11/2019 and 09/2023, derived from the prospective German DERIVE cohort. HRQL was evaluated 12 months after diagnosis using the EQ-5D-5L questionnaire and the EQ visual analog scale (EQ-VAS). Descriptive and nonparametric analyses were applied to compare HRQL across subgroups. Results: Of 338 one-year survivors, complete HRQL data were available for 259 patients (77%). The median EQ-5D index (interquartile range) was 0.91 (0.73-0.97), indicating persistent impairment compared with the general population. Female patients had lower HRQL than males (median EQ-5D index, 0.89 vs 0.91) and higher impairments in anxiety, pain, and usual activities. Younger patients (<55 years) experienced higher overall HRQL but more pain and anxiety, while patients older than 65 years reported greater physical limitations. No significant difference in EQ-5D index was observed between surgically and conservatively treated patients (0.91 vs 0.90); however, surgically treated patients reported higher levels of anxiety 1 year after diagnosis. Conclusions: Patients with IE experience persistent reductions in HRQL 1 year after diagnosis, affecting nearly all domains of daily life. The data highlight the importance of incorporating patient-reported outcomes into clinical management and long-term follow-up.

Source: Open Forum Infectious Diseases

DOI: 10.1093/ofid/ofag238