Härkönen M, Olin P E, Wennström J
Acta Med Scand. 1981;210(4):329-31. doi: 10.1111/j.0954-6820.1981.tb09825.x.
We report on two patients whose presenting sign of bacterial endocarditis was a sudden and severe backache. According to the literature, 25-44% of patients with bacterial endocarditis have musculoskeletal symptoms and in about 27% these symptoms are the first sign of the disease. The most probable pathogenetic mechanism of these symptoms is arterial microembolization consisting of bacteria and immune complexes.
