Libman-Sacks endocarditis

Overview
Libman-Sacks endocarditis is a form of nonbacterial endocarditis that is seen in systemic lupus erythematosus. It is the most common cardiac manifestation of lupus. It can be associated with the development of aortic insufficiency.

Pathophysiology
The vegetations are formed from strands of fibrin, neutrophils, lymphocytes, and histiocytes. The mitral valve is typically affected, and the vegetations occur on the ventricular and atrial surface of the valve. Libman-Sacks lesions rarely produce significant valve dysfunction and the lesions only rarely embolize.

Pathology
The pathology is the same as nonbacterial thrombotic endocarditis except focal necrosis (hematoxylin bodies) can be found only in Libman-Sacks endocarditis.

Historical Perspective
It was named after American physicians Emanuel Libman and Benjamin Sacks.