Table 1.
Type of Cerebral Embolic Events and Their Impact on Diagnosis and Management in Patients With Suspected Infective Endocarditis
| Total (n = 573) | Asymptomatic (n = 239) | Symptomatic (n = 334) | P* | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| MRI | 343 | 60% | 124 | 52% | 219 | 66% | .001 |
| No cerebral embolic event | 319 | 56% | 172 | 72% | 147 | 44% | |
| Cerebral embolic event | 254 | 44% | 67 | 28% | 187 | 56% | <.001 |
| Ischemic lesions | 251 | 44% | 66 | 28% | 185 | 55% | .001 |
| Intravenous thrombolysisa | 12 | 4% | 0 | 0% | 12 | 4% | .002 |
| Endovascular thrombectomy | 17 | 3% | 0 | 0% | 17 | 5% | <.001 |
| Hemorrhagic lesions | 40 | 7% | 7 | 3% | 33 | 10% | .001 |
| Treatment of hemorrhagic lesions | 1 | <0.5% | 0 | <0.5% | 1 | <0.5% | 1.000 |
| Mycotic aneurysm | 18 | 3% | 7 | 3% | 11 | 3% | 1.000 |
| Treatment of mycotic aneurysm | 3 | 1% | 0 | 0% | 3 | 1% | .269 |
| Cerebral abscess | 12 | 2% | 2 | 1% | 10 | 3% | .084 |
| Drainage of abscess | 6 | 1% | 0 | 0% | 6 | 2% | .044 |
| Treatment of any cerebral embolic event | 33 | 6% | 0 | 0% | 33 | 10% | <.001 |
| New cerebral embolic eventb | 180 | 31% | 39 | 16% | 141 | 42% | <.001 |
| Reclassification from rejected to possible endocarditis | 3 | 1% | 0 | 0% | 3 | 1% | .269 |
| Reclassification from possible to definite endocarditis | 25 | 4% | 4 | 2% | 21 | 6% | .007 |
Data are depicted as number/percentage.
Abbreviation: MRI, magnetic resonance imaging.
*Comparison between symptomatic and asymptomatic patients.
Thrombolysis was performed in patients for which the infective endocarditis (IE) suspicion was not substantiated the moment of the decision.
Not prior cutaneous, ocular, or thoracoabdominal embolic event.