RT Journal
A1 Scudeller L, Badano L, Crapis M, Pagotto A, Viale P
T1 POpulation-based surveillance of infectious endocarditis in an italian region
JF Archives of Internal Medicine
JO Archives of Internal Medicine
YR 2009
FD October 12
VO 169
IS 18
SP 1718
OP 1725
DO 10.1001/archinternmed.2009.307
UL http://dx.doi.org/10.1001/archinternmed.2009.307
AB 
In a recent article, Murdoch and coworkers1 report on a prospective cohort of 2781 adults with definite infectious endocarditis (IE), admitted to 58 hospitals in 25 countries from June 1, 2000, through September 1, 2005. As they acknowledge, one major limitation of the study is the “catchment area” of enrolled patients, namely centers with a particular interest in IE, typically referral centers with cardiac surgical programs. Admittedly, the study population was unlikely to be a true population-based sample, thereby limiting epidemiologic inferences. This is a common issue in most literature regarding IE.2