title: Cholesterol embolism after cardiac catheterization mimicking infective endocarditis.
abstract: We present a 65-year-old man with rheumatic combined valvular heart disease showing persistent fever 3 weeks after diagnostic cardiac catheterization. Infective endocarditis was strongly suspected from the clinical course, however, serial blood cultures were negative. Transesophageal echocardiography, done to investigate vegetation, revealed multiple mobile plaques in the descending aorta. Administration of both steroid and simvastatin improved both symptoms and renal function. Cholesterol embolism should be considered to be one of the possible causes of low-grade fever after cardiac catheterization especially in patients with anticoagulation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, Tenri Hospital, Nara.
authors.forename: Takakuni
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Maki
authors.forename: Chisato
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Izumi
authors.forename: Makoto
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Miyake
authors.forename: Toshiaki
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Izumi
authors.forename: Shuichi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Takahashi
authors.forename: Yoshihiro
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Himura
authors.forename: Takashi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Konishi
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D006328:Cardiac Catheterization / Q000009:adverse effects*; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D017700:Embolism, Cholesterol / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000209:etiology*; D004697:Endocarditis, Bacterial / Q000175:diagnosis*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D014463:Ultrasonography