<abstract xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">Infective endocarditis is an infection of the endocardial surface of the heart. Usually, it affects one or more heart valves or an intracardiac device. Neurologic events (silent or symptomatic) account for 20 to 40% of all patients with infective endocarditis.We are presenting the case of a 57 -year-old man with cardiovascular risk factors admitted to our clinic for aphasia. His medical history included a recent stroke and small fiber neuropathy with a gradual onset for the past six months. Despite extensive investigations, no cause for strokes and neuropathy could be found. To identify a potential source of embolism, a transoesophageal echocardiography was performed. It revealed vegetation attached to both aortic and mitral valves. Blood cultures were positive for Streptococcus gallolyticus. The patient underwent emergency aortic and mitral valve replacement and a 6-week course of antibiotic treatment with ceftriaxone and gentamicin with the improvement of both aphasia and peripheral neuropathy.Central nervous system complications such as encephalopathy, seizures, stroke or severe cerebral hemorrhage are commonly described in infective endocarditis, but peripheral nervous system involvement is rarely reported in the literature. Although no cause for neuropathy has been found, it is difficult to asses whether it was a complication of the infective endocarditis.</abstract>

Infective endocarditis is an infection of the endocardial surface of the heart. Usually, it affects one or more heart valves or an intracardiac device. Neurologic events (silent or symptomatic) account for 20 to 40% of all patients with infective endocarditis.We are presenting the case of a 57 -year-old man with cardiovascular risk factors admitted to our clinic for aphasia. His medical history included a recent stroke and small fiber neuropathy with a gradual onset for the past six months. Despite extensive investigations, no cause for strokes and neuropathy could be found. To identify a potential source of embolism, a transoesophageal echocardiography was performed. It revealed vegetation attached to both aortic and mitral valves. Blood cultures were positive for Streptococcus gallolyticus. The patient underwent emergency aortic and mitral valve replacement and a 6-week course of antibiotic treatment with ceftriaxone and gentamicin with the improvement of both aphasia and peripheral neuropathy.Central nervous system complications such as encephalopathy, seizures, stroke or severe cerebral hemorrhage are commonly described in infective endocarditis, but peripheral nervous system involvement is rarely reported in the literature. Although no cause for neuropathy has been found, it is difficult to asses whether it was a complication of the infective endocarditis.

Neurologic Manifestations of Infective Endocarditis

Internal Medicine

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 3.0 License.

{"article-title":"Neurologic Manifestations of Infective Endocarditis"}

Infective endocarditis is an infection of the endocardial surface of the heart. Usually, it affects one or more heart valves or an intracardiac device....

Neurologic Manifestations of Infective Endocarditis

Publié en ligne: 17 août 2019

Pages: 63 - 68

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/inmed-2019-0070

Mots clés
infective endocarditis, stroke, neuropathy

© 2019 Cristina Dumitrescu et al., published by Sciendo

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 3.0 License.

Neurologic Manifestations of Infective Endocarditis

Publié en ligne: 17 août 2019

Pages: 63 - 68

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/inmed-2019-0070

Mots clésinfective endocarditis, stroke, neuropathy

© 2019 Cristina Dumitrescu et al., published by Sciendo

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 3.0 License.

Mots clés
infective endocarditis, stroke, neuropathy