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Role of transthoracic and transesophageal echocardiography in predicting embolic events in patients with active infective endocarditis involving native cardiac valves.
- Source :
-
The American journal of cardiology [Am J Cardiol] 1997 Oct 15; Vol. 80 (8), pp. 1030-4. - Publication Year :
- 1997
-
Abstract
- Some studies describe an increased risk for emboli in infective endocarditis patients with large (>10 mm) and mobile vegetations. Other studies fail to demonstrate the above relation. Most studies have been performed using transthoracic echocardiography or with a monoplane transesophageal approach. The present study examines whether distinctive characteristics of vegetative lesions detected by transthoracic and multiplane transesophageal echocardiography are predictive of embolic risk. We reviewed both transthoracic and transesophageal echocardiograms of 57 patients with diagnosis of acute infective endocarditis and no documented or suspected previous embolic events. We evaluated site, length, width, mobility, and echodensity of vegetations. Twenty-five patients (44%) had embolic events. No statistical differences in age, sex distribution, location of endocarditis, or offending pathogens between embolic (n = 25) and nonembolic (n = 32) patients were found. There were no differences in any of the echo characteristics of vegetations detected by transthoracic and transesophageal approach in embolic and nonembolic groups. Thus, transthoracic and transesophageal characteristics of vegetations are not helpful in defining embolic risk in patients with infective endocarditis.
- Subjects :
- Adult
Aged
Coronary Vessels
Embolism etiology
Endocarditis diagnosis
Endocarditis microbiology
Female
Heart Valve Diseases microbiology
Humans
Male
Middle Aged
Observer Variation
Predictive Value of Tests
Echocardiography methods
Echocardiography, Transesophageal methods
Embolism diagnosis
Endocarditis complications
Heart Valve Diseases diagnosis
Subjects
Details
- Language :
- English
- ISSN :
- 0002-9149
- Volume :
- 80
- Issue :
- 8
- Database :
- MEDLINE
- Journal :
- The American journal of cardiology
- Publication Type :
- Academic Journal
- Accession number :
- 9352973
- Full Text :
- https://doi.org/10.1016/s0002-9149(97)00598-5