Point-of-care ultrasound in endocarditis and other endovascular infections: A narrative review

Abstract

A narrative review assessed the utility of point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) in evaluating suspected infective endocarditis (IE). MEDLINE, EMBASE, and Google Scholar were searched for studies published from January 1, 2010 to January 31, 2025. Data extraction was performed independently by three authors. Thirty-five studies involving 293 participants were included, the majority being case reports. For detecting valvular vegetations, POCUS demonstrated a sensitivity of 77% and a specificity of 94%. POCUS may serve as a useful adjunct to bedside physical examination, facilitating the detection of echocardiographic findings suggestive of IE and other endovascular infections. Nonetheless, the predominance of case reports, which represent the lowest level of clinical evidence, substantially limits the external validity and generalizability of these results. Further high-quality studies are warranted to confirm the diagnostic performance and clinical impact of POCUS in this setting. Overall, POCUS shows promise but evidence remains limited by study design.