Marantic or Non-Bacterial Thrombotic Endocarditis

Abstract

Marantic endocarditis (MAE), “verrucous” or “Libman Sachs Endocarditis” are all different synonyms of the nowadays agreed term non-bacterial thrombotic endocarditis (NBTE), which is defined as fibrinous sterile valvular vegetations in the absence of infective endocarditis. MAE is associated with an autoimmunemediated inflammatory and thrombotic pathogenesis, but not with an infective pathogen. It is seen in conditions such as antiphospholipid syndrome and systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), but also in terminal malignancies. The incidence of MAE is largely unknown. Small scale post mortem examinations reported NBTE to range between 0.9 to 1.6 % [1]. This report aims to review current literature around MAE including presentation, diagnosis and management.