[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.