A novel potential biomarker to predict the development of septic embolism in patients with infective endocarditis: Systemic Coagulation Inflammation Index

OBJECTIVE
Early diagnosis of septic emboli is crucial for preventing the morbidity and mortality associated with this condition. This study aimed to examine the relationship between systemic coagulation inflammation index (SCII) and septic embolism in IE patients.

METHODS
The data of 167 IE patients treated in our tertiary care hospital between January 2007 and January 2023 were analyzed retrospectively. Data on symptoms, comorbidities, predisposing valve diseases, prosthetic valve, device, injectable drug use history, blood culture results, echocardiographic findings, and complications were collected. The SCII index was calculated as [platelet count (PLT) × fibrinogen level (g/L)/ white blood cell count (WBC)]

RESULTS
The mean patient age was 61 years, and rheumatic valve disease was the most common predisposing factor. The most common etiologic microorganism was Staphylococcus species. The rate of septic embolism development was 25.7%. The most common location of embolism was the cerebral system (46.5%). The SCII was found to be an independent marker for the development of septic embolism. ROC curve analysis confirmed that an optimal value of 59.8 for SCII predicted septic emboli with 65.1% sensitivity and 59.6% specificity (area under the ROC curve: 0.649 [95% CI: 0.556–0.743], p = 0.004).
Conclusıon: We demonstrated that high SCII levels are an independent predictor for the development of septic embolism in patients with IE.