What are the predictive risk factors for periannular extension of native valve endocarditis?
Predictive risk factors for periannular extension of native valve endocarditis include clinical and echocardiographic analyses. Studies have identified various clinical predictors, such as age, gender, duration of symptoms, presence of fever, and presence of cardiogenic shock, as well as echocardiographic characteristics, such as size of the vegetation and involvement of the aortic root or mitral annulus. (Ref: Omari B, Shapiro S, Ginzton L, Robertson JM, Ward J, Nelson RJ, Bayer AS. Predictive risk factors for periannular extension of native valve endocarditis: clinical and echocardiographic analyses. Chest. 1989;96:1273 1279.)