[Differential diagnosis of infective endocarditis and fevers of unrelated genesis].

Case histories of 84 patients with fevers lasting from 2 weeks to 6 months and suspected infective endocarditis (IE) were analyzed. Infective endocarditis was diagnosed in 15 patients. From the viewpoint of IE diagnosis by the DUKE criteria, the major criteria possess the highest diagnostic value.

[Mitral valve prolapse and respiratory diseases].

Respiratory function was studied in 9 patients with mitral prolapse because of myxomatous degeneration of valvular cusps. Respiratory disorders were diagnosed in 7 of them. Respiratory organ abnormalities in cusp prolapses result from hereditary deficiency of the connective tissue with visceral manifestations.

[Pericarditis: 5 year records of general hospital].

Among patients admitted to the therapeutic department of the general hospital for 5 years, diagnosis of pericarditis was made in 110 patients (0.44%). Among the most common causes of secondary pericarditis were: chronic renal failure (31.