Eyes Wide Shut: A Cohort Study Questioning the Role of Fundoscopy in Infective Endocarditis Diagnosis

TL;DR

This study finds that fundoscopy does not significantly help in diagnosing infective endocarditis.

Contribution

The study challenges the routine use of fundoscopy in diagnosing infective endocarditis.

Findings

Ocular embolic events and Roth spots were found in 5% of episodes each.

Findings had no impact on IE diagnosis according to Duke criteria.

Abstract

In this retrospective/prospective study, we assessed the role of fundoscopy in 711 episodes with suspected infective endocarditis (IE); 238 (33%) had IE. Ocular embolic events (retinal emboli or chorioretinitis/endophthalmitis) and Roth spots were found in 37 (5%) and 34 (5%) episodes, respectively, but had no impact on IE diagnosis.

Fundoscopy among patients with suspected infective endocarditis detected ocular embolic events and Roth spots in 5% of episodes each but failed to substantially reclassify patients according to Duke criteria, suggesting that universal fundoscopy for diagnostic purposes is not justified.

Graphical AbstractThis graphical abstract is also available at Tidbit: https://tidbitapp.io/tidbits/eyes-wide-shut-a-cohort-study-questioning-the-role-of-fundoscopy-in-infective-endocarditis-diagnosis

This graphical abstract is also available at Tidbit: https://tidbitapp.io/tidbits/eyes-wide-shut-a-cohort-study-questioning-the-role-of-fundoscopy-in-infective-endocarditis-diagnosis

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