Screening and diagnosis

Classification and risk stratification

Perioperative care

Quality improvement

Patient education

Nonpharmacologic interventions

Therapeutic procedures

Respiratory support

Follow-up and surveillance

Specific circumstances

Preventative measures

Medical management

Surgical interventions

Inpatient care

Diagnostic procedures

Diagnostic investigations

Insufficient evidence to make a recommendation.

Strongly favor this test or intervention.

The Suspicious Index Lyme Carditis (SILC) score calculator evaluates the risk of Lyme carditis by analyzing several user-provided factors. Six specific inputs are considered, each assigned a particular score based on their presence. These inputs are: constitutional symptoms, outdoor activity or endemic area, male sex, tick bite, age less than 50 years, and erythema migrans.

The scoring system is as follows:
- Constitutional symptoms: 2 points
- Outdoor activity or endemic area: 1 point
- Male sex: 1 point
- Tick bite: 3 points
- Age < 50 years: 1 point
- Erythema migrans: 4 points

The user’s responses to these factors are checked, and if a response is positive (true), the corresponding score is added to a cumulative total. The goal is to obtain a sum that reflects the risk of Lyme carditis.

Once all inputs are processed, the total score is interpreted in the following manner:
- A score between 0 and 2 signifies that the risk of Lyme carditis is low.
- A score between 3 and 6 indicates an intermediate risk of Lyme carditis.
- A score of 7 to 12 suggests a high risk of Lyme carditis.

The Suspicious Index Lyme Carditis score, or SILC score, is a clinical calculator used in the assessment of patients suspected of having Lyme carditis, a complication of Lyme disease that affects the heart. This scoring system is particularly applicable to patients presenting with unexplained cardiac symptoms, especially in areas where Lyme disease is endemic.

The SILC score uses a combination of clinical, electrocardiographic, and demographic factors to estimate the likelihood of Lyme carditis in a patient. These factors include age, sex, presenting symptoms, and specific electrocardiogram (ECG) findings. 

The clinical utility of the SILC score is to aid in the early identification and treatment of Lyme carditis, which can prevent the progression of the disease and reduce the risk of long-term cardiac complications. It can also help to avoid unnecessary invasive procedures in patients who are unlikely to have Lyme carditis.

Exclusion criteria for the use of the SILC score may include patients with a known history of cardiac disease or other conditions that could explain their symptoms, as well as patients who do not reside in or have not recently traveled to an area where Lyme disease is prevalent.

Tick bite

Guidelines

Key sources