Prevalence of neurological complications in infective endocarditis

Complicated Native Aortic Valve Endocarditis: Complexities of Medical Optimisation Prior to Surgical Repair for Large Vegetations With Systemic Emboli

“…Due to its insidious progression and growth of infective vegetations, often mobile and prone to embolisation, the clinical presentation of IE remains challenging [ 9 ]. It may present as an acute and progressive condition, with over 20% of cases displaying signs of embolic complications on presentation [ 10 ] but also as a subacute or chronic disease characterised by persistent fever with systemic stigmata of chronic illness, such as weight loss and fatigue [ 11 ]. As peripheral stigmata of IE including dermatologic presentations have become increasingly rare [ 12 ] with the reduced time delay between the onset of disease and presentation to the hospital, it appears primordial to consider infective endocarditis as a differential diagnosis in all patients presenting with fever and signs of embolic complications, to allow prompt initiation of antibiotic therapy and likely definitive surgical treatment in order to avoid life-threatening and often irreversible structural damage to the heart.…”