Combination of cortical-subcortical infarction with lobar microbleeds as a specific MRI pattern in patients with infective endocarditis

Background. Ischemic stroke (IS) and cerebral microbleeds (CMB) are the most common types of neurological complications infective endocarditis (IE), while their combination is poorly understood.
 Aim. To evaluate pattern cortical-subcortical infarction with lobar CMB or subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) in patients left-sided IE.
 Materials methods. A retrospective case-control study was conducted, including IE who received cardiac surgery at Federal Center for Cardiovascular Surgery. Inclusion criteria: age 18 years; definite possible (Duke criteria) left heart (aortic and/or mitral valves). The control group included without IE, non-lacunar (likely embolic) IS. In both groups, SAH assessed. Differences between groups were assessed using 2 test, Fisher's exact test MannWhitney test. Additionally, odds ratios binary features calculated. assess information content studied pattern, classical classification quality metrics calculated: accuracy, sensitivity, specificity.
 Results. IS, infarcts corresponded to main characteristics cardioembolism: involvement multiple arterial territories (84%), (88%), localization (100%), a high incidence hemorrhagic transformation (44%). detected 64% cases (in 93.8%, lobar), 28% (with 6 out 7 cases). observed 12%). Odds ratio presence 13.0 (95% confidence interval 3.0455.9; p0.001). accuracy sign 76%, specificity 71%, sensitivity 84%.
 Conclusion. may be characteristic IE-associated stroke.