Louis DiBernardo, MD, co-authored a paper that has revised Duke’s criteria for diagnosis of infective endocarditis (IE), a grave condition caused by infection that results in inflammation of the inner lining of the heart chambers and valves. It can damage heart valves, produce blood clots, and lead to serious complications such as stroke and heart failure.
This revision, titled “The 2023 Duke-International Society for Cardiovascular Infectious Diseases (ISCVID) Criteria for Infective Endocarditis: Updating the Modified Duke Criteria,” was driven and first authored by Vance Fowler Jr., MD, along with David Durack, MBBS, who authored the original criteria. Both of them are part of the Duke Department of Medicine’s Division of Infectious Diseases. The revision sets a global standard for diagnosing endocarditis.
The paper includes all the different studies that can suggest or confirm the diagnosis and allows for aggressive treatment early in the course before serious complications can occur. DiBernardo authored the sections on pathological review, diagnosis and pitfalls of native and prosthetic valves. He also helped review the updated clinical, imaging, and molecular diagnostics with a panel of authors from around the globe.
Since its publication in May 2023, the article has been the most-read article from Duke Pathology every single month. To date, it has over 30,000 recorded reads, 80 published citations, and is the top one percent of all peer-reviewed journals. Most importantly, it is designed for continued updating and validation of a comprehensive approach to aid clinicians in diagnosing and confirming IE, a critical illness where early diagnosis and intervention are of utmost importance.
Duke has a long and important history in the diagnosis and treatment of IE. Its microbiology, epidemiology, diagnostics, and treatment have changed significantly since the Duke criteria were first published in 1994 (and updated in 2000). The ISCVID convened a multidisciplinary working group to update the diagnostic criteria for IE. The resulting paper proposes significant changes.