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Multiple Choice

Cutaneous evidence of septic emboli in infective endocarditis is classically known as?

In infective endocarditis, septic emboli from the heart valves can travel to the skin and produce characteristic lesions. The classic cutaneous sign of these septic emboli is Janeway lesions: small, painless, erythematous or hemorrhagic macules most often on the palms and soles (and sometimes fingers or toes). They reflect septic microemboli causing microabscesses in the skin. Osler nodes are different: painful, tender nodules on the fingertips or toes caused by immune complex deposition andvasculitis, not by septic emboli. Splinter hemorrhages are tiny red-brown lines under the nails from microvascular hemorrhage, which can occur in IE but aren’t specifically septic emboli. Roth spots are retinal hemorrhages with pale centers, again related to immune processes rather than cutaneous emboli. So the sign tied to septic emboli in this context is Janeway lesions.

In infective endocarditis, septic emboli from the heart valves can travel to the skin and produce characteristic lesions. The classic cutaneous sign of these septic emboli is Janeway lesions: small, painless, erythematous or hemorrhagic macules most often on the palms and soles (and sometimes fingers or toes). They reflect septic microemboli causing microabscesses in the skin.

Osler nodes are different: painful, tender nodules on the fingertips or toes caused by immune complex deposition andvasculitis, not by septic emboli. Splinter hemorrhages are tiny red-brown lines under the nails from microvascular hemorrhage, which can occur in IE but aren’t specifically septic emboli. Roth spots are retinal hemorrhages with pale centers, again related to immune processes rather than cutaneous emboli.

So the sign tied to septic emboli in this context is Janeway lesions.