[Stroke and vegetations on cardiac valves - Case report]

Laeknabladid. 2025 Mar;111(3):119-121. doi: 10.17992/lbl.2025.03.831.
[Article in Icelandic]

Abstract

Ischemic stroke is a common disease that can stem from multiple different causes, some of which are uncommon. A 43 year old woman with a history of systemic lupus erythematosus and antiphospholipid syndrome visited the emergency department due to dysarthria and was diagnosed with ischemic stroke. Transesophageal echocardiogram showed a mass on the mitral valve. After further workup, she was diagnosed with Libman-Sacks endocarditis, which is caused by endothelium damage along with hypercoagulability, and can form due to systemic lupus erythematosus or antiphospholipid syndrome. Libman-Sacks endocarditis is a nonbacterial thrombotic endocarditis and thromboembolism is rare. It is treated with anticoagulation. It is also important to treat the underlying cause of the endocarditis.

Keywords: Antiphospholipid syndrome; Libman-Sacks endocarditis; Nonbacterial thrombotic endocarditis; Systemic lupus erythematosus.

Publication types

  • Case Reports
  • English Abstract

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Anticoagulants / therapeutic use
  • Antiphospholipid Syndrome / complications
  • Antiphospholipid Syndrome / diagnosis
  • Echocardiography, Transesophageal
  • Endocarditis, Non-Infective* / diagnostic imaging
  • Endocarditis, Non-Infective* / drug therapy
  • Endocarditis, Non-Infective* / etiology
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Ischemic Stroke* / diagnosis
  • Ischemic Stroke* / diagnostic imaging
  • Ischemic Stroke* / drug therapy
  • Ischemic Stroke* / etiology
  • Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic* / complications
  • Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic* / diagnosis
  • Mitral Valve* / diagnostic imaging
  • Mitral Valve* / microbiology
  • Stroke* / etiology
  • Treatment Outcome

Substances

  • Anticoagulants