Severe backache as a presenting sign of bacterial endocarditis.

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.