Infective endocarditis in intravenous drug abusers: clinical challenges emerging from a single-centre experience

Abstract Background Intravenous drug abuse (IDA) is a known risk factor for infective endocarditis (IE) and is associated with frequent relapses, but its prognostic impact is still debated. The potential futility of surgery in this population is a further issue under discussion. We aimed to describe the clinical characteristics, the therapeutic strategy, and the prognosis associated with IDA in IE. Methods We retrospectively analysed 440 patients admitted to a single surgical centre for definite active IE from January 2012 to December 2020. Results Patients reporting IDA (N = 54; 12.2%) were significantly younger (p