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Summary Objectives To assess the effect of prolonging antibiotic prophylaxis in cardiac surgery. Methods Prospective before–after cohort study. In 2004, cefazolin was given pre- and intraoperatively at 1 g doses while in 2007 it was continued after surgery for 24 h. All consecutive adult patients undergoing coronary artery bypass graft, valve, and/or aortic operations during the study periods were included. The primary outcomes were deep sternal wound infection (DSWI) and mortality. Univariate and multivariate analyses were conducted to assess risk factors for DSWI. Results 954 patients between 1/2004 and 12/2004 were compared to 424 patients between 1/2007 and 6/2007. In 2007, there were significantly more patients >60 yrs., emergency and combined operations and the mean logistic EuroSCORE was higher compared to 2004 (8.53% vs. 6.92%, p = 0.006). The rate of DSWI decreased non-significantly from 3.8% (36/954) in 2004 to 2.6% (11/424) in 2007, p = 0.27. The adjusted odds ratio of the study period for DSWI was 0.89 (95% confidence interval 0.70–1.13). There was no difference in 30-day (5.2% vs. 5.4%) or 6-month mortality (9.2% in both periods), despite increasing patients' risk. Conclusions Increasing the duration of antibiotic prophylaxis did not result in a significant decrease in DSWI. The value of prolonging antibiotic prophylaxis after cardiac operations should be further evaluated.

Pericarditis as a presenting sign of infective endocarditis is rare. Here we describe 2 cases and an additional 19 cases of pericarditis as a presenting sign of infective endocarditis reported during the last 40 y. 71% of patients were young males (mean age 43.2 y). The most commonly reported underlying conditions were diabetes mellitus type 2 (5 patients, 24%), and substance or alcohol abuse (4 patients, 19%). The native aortic valve was the most frequently involved valve. The most common symptoms were fever, cough or dyspnoea, and chest pain. Overt tamponade was diagnosed in 47% of the patients. However, pulsus paradoxus and pericardial friction rub were rare. A heart murmur was heard in 12 patients (57%). Staphylococcus aureus was the most commonly isolated pathogen concomitantly from blood and pericardial fluid. 16 patients (76%) were operated. Six underwent a pericardial procedure, 5 underwent valve replacement, 4 both, and 1 patient was operated for pseudoaneurysm. Mortality rates were 60% and 31% of patients treated with antibiotics alone versus antibiotics and surgical intervention, respectively. In patients presenting with pericarditis with or without cardiac tamponade, the possibility of infective endocarditis should be considered. Optimal therapy should consist of antibiotics and surgical intervention.