title: Histopathology of valves in infective endocarditis, diagnostic criteria and treatment considerations.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Infective endocarditis (IE) is a severe disease. Pathogen isolation is fundamental so as to treat effectively and reduce morbidity and mortality. Blood and valve culture and histopathology (HP) are routinely employed for this purpose. Valve HP is the gold standard for diagnosis.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To determine the sensitivity and specificity of clinical criteria for IE (the modified Duke and the St Thomas' minor modifications, STH) of blood and valve culture compared to valve HP, and to evaluate antibiotic treatment duration.
  
  
  METHODS
  Prospective case series of patients, from 2006 to 2014 with surgically treated IE. Statistical analysis was done by the R software.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There were 136 clinically definite episodes of IE in 133 patients. Mean age ± SD was 43 ± 15.6 years and IE was left sided in 81.6 %. HP was definite in 96 valves examined, which were used as gold standard. Sensitivity of blood culture was 61 % (CI 0.51, 0.71) and of valve culture 15 % (CI 0.07, 0.26). The modified Duke criteria were 65 % (CI 0.55, 0.75) sensitive and 33 % specific, while the STH's sensitivity was 72 % (CI 0.61, 0.80) with similar specificity. In multivariate analysis and logistic regression, the only variable with statistical significance was duration of antibiotic therapy postoperatively.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Valve HP had high sensitivity and valve culture low sensitivity in the diagnosis of IE. The STH's criteria were more sensitive than the modified Duke criteria. Valve HP should guide duration of postoperative antibiotic treatment.
authors: Heart Valve Disease Department, Instituto Nacional de Cardiologia, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
authors: Tatiana J D
authors: TJ
authors: Brandão
authors: Heart Valve Disease Department, Instituto Nacional de Cardiologia, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
authors: Carolina A
authors: CA
authors: Januario-da-Silva
authors: Biostatistics Department, Instituto Nacional de Cardiologia, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
authors: Marcelo G
authors: MG
authors: Correia
authors: Pathology Department, Instituto Nacional de Cardiologia, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
authors: Monica
authors: M
authors: Zappa
authors: Microbiology Department, Instituto Nacional de Cardiologia, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
authors: Jaime A
authors: JA
authors: Abrantes
authors: Microbiology Department, Instituto Nacional de Cardiologia, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
authors: Angela M R
authors: AM
authors: Dantas
authors: Heart Valve Disease Department, Instituto Nacional de Cardiologia, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
authors: Wilma
authors: W
authors: Golebiovski
authors: Infection Control Unit, Instituto Nacional de Cardiologia, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
authors: Giovanna Ianini F
authors: GI
authors: Barbosa
authors: Heart Valve Disease Department, Instituto Nacional de Cardiologia, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
authors: Clara
authors: C
authors: Weksler
authors: Heart Valve Disease Department, Instituto Nacional de Cardiologia, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. cristianelamas@gmail.com.|Instituto Nacional de Infectologia Evandro Chagas, Fiocruz, Rio de Janeiro and Unigranrio, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. cristianelamas@gmail.com.|Valvular Disease Department, Instituto Nacional de Cardiologia, 8th Floor, Rua das Laranjeiras 375, Laranjeiras, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, CEP 22240-006, Brazil. cristianelamas@gmail.com.
authors: Cristiane C
authors: CC
authors: Lamas
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001431:Bacteriological Techniques / Q000379:methods*; D003955:Diagnostic Tests, Routine / Q000379:methods*; D004696:Endocarditis / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology* / Q000628:therapy; D005260:Female; D006351:Heart Valves / Q000473:pathology*; D006651:Histocytochemistry / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity
keywords: Antibiotic therapy; Blood culture; Diagnostic criteria; Infective endocarditis; Sensitivity; Specificity; Valve culture; Valve histopathology; Valve replacement surgery