Abstract
Introduction:
Although it is the most common agent among the fungal causes of endocarditis, Candida albicans endocarditis is rare.
Objective:
To evaluate the efficacy of amphotericin B in the treatment of C. albicans endocarditis beyond a systematic review.
Data search:
Articles in English, Spanish and Portuguese, conducted in the following databases: MEDLINE, LILACS, IBECS and SciELO, in humans and published in the last 25 years.
Study selection:
Observational studies, clinical trials, and case series providing data on the amphotericin B use in patients with a C. albicans endocarditis diagnosis without age limitations.
Data synthesis:
From the initial search (n=79), 25 articles were fully evaluated, of which 19 were excluded for meeting one or more exclusion criteria, remaining five articles (two observational studies and three case series). Patients using amphotericin B demonstrated improvement in survival rates, and its main use was in association with the surgical method as well as with caspofungin association.
Conclusion:
Literature lacks evidence to conclude about efficacy and safety of amphotericin B in the treatment of fungal endocarditis. Randomized clinical trials are necessary to provide better evidence on the subject.
Keywords:
Amphotericin B; Antifungal Agents; Candida Albicans; Endocarditis, Mycoses, Survival Rate
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