A Scenario-Based Survey of Expert Echocardiography Recommendations for Patients With Staphylococcus aureus Bacteremia at Varying Risk for Endocarditis

Abstract

Importance: Echocardiography to detect infective endocarditis is regarded as a key quality indicator in the care of patients with Staphylococcus aureus bacteremia, but its application varies markedly between reported series. Understanding the reasons for this variation in practice is important to improve the use of this investigation. Objective: To identify expert clinicians' preferred echocardiography strategy for a variety of S aureus bacteremia scenarios in a hypothetical setting free from extrinsic constraints. Design, Setting, and Participants: Anonymous web-based survey study comprising 50 text-based scenarios describing patients with S aureus bacteremia and various combinations of ris..