title: With what was rheumatic fever confused?
abstract: Follow-up of 427 cases initially diagnosed in Wairoa county during 1962-76 as rheumatic fever and/or rheumatic heart disease showed that 40 had neither condition and 51 had chronic rheumatic heart disease only. Sources of misdiagnosis were cardiac (e.g. congenital heart disease, onset of atrial fibrillation), joint (e.g. rheumatoid arthritis, gout), streptococcal infections not proceeding to rheumatic activity and febrile conditions of childhood. Awareness of the problems, some strengthening of the diagnostic criteria, and the evolution of the illness with time would serve to correct misdiagnosis.
mesh_terms: D001172:Arthritis, Rheumatoid / Q000175:diagnosis; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006330:Heart Defects, Congenital / Q000175:diagnosis; D006331:Heart Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis; D006801:Humans; D007592:Joint Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis; D012141:Respiratory Tract Infections / Q000175:diagnosis; D012213:Rheumatic Fever / Q000175:diagnosis*; D012214:Rheumatic Heart Disease / Q000175:diagnosis; D013290:Streptococcal Infections / Q000175:diagnosis; D014552:Urinary Tract Infections / Q000175:diagnosis