[Subacute bacterial endocarditis: diagnostic aspects].

AIM: To compare the proposed diagnostic criteria of subacute infectious endocarditis (SIE) to criteria developed by von Reyn et al. and by Duke Endocarditis Service.

MATERIALS AND

METHODS

69 SIE cases and suspected recurrences have been analysed for patients observed in the Therapeutic Clinic of the Moscow medical University in 1990-1997.

RESULTS

According to the authors' criteria accurate and tentative SIE diagnosis were made in 82 and 18% of patients, respectively. The other two diagnostic approaches in this situation increase the percentage of presumptive diagnosis and decrease that of the definite one.

CONCLUSION

The criteria proposed by the authors are more sensitive in diagnosis of definite SIE, are less dependent on echocardiography quality and bacteriological diagnosis.