Which condition features sterile, warty endocardial vegetations on valve leaflets, known as Libman-Sacks endocarditis?

Which condition features sterile, warty endocardial vegetations on valve leaflets, known as Libman-Sacks endocarditis?

• A. Libman-Sacks endocarditis
• B. Bacterial endocarditis
• C. Nonbacterial thrombotic endocarditis
• D. Endocarditis with rheumatic fever

Answer: (A)

Libman-Sacks endocarditis is a form of sterile, immune-mediated endocarditis seen in systemic lupus erythematosus. The vegetations are warty and occur on valve leaflets, often on both sides of the mitral and/or aortic valves, and they’re noninfectious. Because no organisms are involved, there isn’t the fever or positive blood cultures typical of bacterial endocarditis. While nonbacterial thrombotic endocarditis also involves sterile vegetations, Libman-Sacks is specifically tied to SLE and reflects immune complex deposition on the valves, not just a hypercoagulable state.

Libman-Sacks endocarditis is a form of sterile, immune-mediated endocarditis seen in systemic lupus erythematosus. The vegetations are warty and occur on valve leaflets, often on both sides of the mitral and/or aortic valves, and they’re noninfectious. Because no organisms are involved, there isn’t the fever or positive blood cultures typical of bacterial endocarditis. While nonbacterial thrombotic endocarditis also involves sterile vegetations, Libman-Sacks is specifically tied to SLE and reflects immune complex deposition on the valves, not just a hypercoagulable state.