What are the Duke criteria used for?

The Duke criteria are a set of clinical criteria specifically designed to assist in the diagnosis of infective endocarditis, which is an infection of the inner lining of the heart chambers and valves. Developed based on clinical and laboratory findings, the criteria include both major and minor criteria that help clinicians determine the likelihood of endocarditis based on patient symptoms, blood culture results, imaging findings, and other factors.

The major criteria include evidence of endocardial involvement, such as positive blood cultures for typical organisms or evidence of new valvular regurgitation. The minor criteria consist of predisposing heart conditions, fever, vascular phenomena, and embolic phenomena, among others. A diagnosis can be made if a patient meets certain combinations of these major and minor criteria.

Other options, such as those related to hypertension, diabetes, and renal failure, do not utilize the Duke criteria as they have distinct diagnostic pathways and criteria. Therefore, the accurate application of the Duke criteria is specific to the diagnosis of infective endocarditis.