nystatin-a1 and Heart-Valve-Diseases

On the basis of the data currently available, no dogmatic statements can be made about optimal therapy for Candida endocarditis. In those with valve protheses, early surgery should be carefully assessed even though the differences in outcome (17% vs 53% survival) are not yet statistically significant.

Topics: Adolescent; Amphotericin B; Aortic Valve; Candidiasis; Drug Therapy, Combination; Endocarditis; Flucytosine; Heart Valve Diseases; Heart Valve Prosthesis; Humans; Male; Middle Aged; Nystatin; Tricuspid Valve

The normal levels of commensal yeasts in patients undergoing open-heart surgery are established and the effect of antifungal prophylaxis is assessed. Mouth swabs and feces were taken for culture from patients on admission to hospital and 1,2, and 3 weeks postoperatively. Eighty-seven patients who received normal treatment and 50 patients who were given oral and topical antifungal prophylaxis commencing 12 days before hospitalization were studied. Yeast pathogens, mainly Candida albicans, were isolated from 42 (48.3 per cent) of the normal group on admission. There was a marked increase in the incidence and quantities of yeasts isolated from patients in the immediate postoperative period. The incidence and levels of yeasts in patients receiving antifungal prophylaxis was considerably reduced both on admission and postoperatively. The risk of Candida sepsis in open-heart surgery patients with high levels of commensal yeasts is discussed and the possibility of routine antifungal prophylaxis raised.

Topics: Administration, Oral; Amphotericin B; Candida; Candida albicans; Candidiasis; Cardiac Surgical Procedures; Endocarditis; Evaluation Studies as Topic; Fascia Lata; Feces; Female; Heart Valve Diseases; Humans; Male; Mouth; Nystatin; Pessaries; Tablets; Transplantation, Homologous