title: Advanced atrioventricular block in a 39-year-old man with acute rheumatic fever.
abstract: This report describes the development of advanced (2:1 and 3:1) AV block in a 39-year-old man with acute rheumatic fever. AV block progressed from first-degree to type I second-degree and finally to advanced AV block. The latter lasted 5 days. AV block regressed in a stepwise fashion via sustained type I second-degree AV block and eventually first-degree AV block. The PR interval returned to normal several weeks after resolution of second-degree AV block. In view of the resurgence of acute rheumatic fever, the diagnosis of acute rheumatic fever should now be considered in young adults or middle-aged patients presenting with second-degree or third-degree AV block of undetermined etiology.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Genesee Hospital, Rochester, New York, USA.
authors.forename: S S
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Barold
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Sischy
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Punzi
authors.forename: E L
authors.initials: EL
authors.lastname: Kaplan
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Chessin
mesh_terms: D000208:Acute Disease; D000328:Adult; D018450:Disease Progression; D004562:Electrocardiography; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006327:Heart Block / Q000145:classification / Q000209:etiology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D012213:Rheumatic Fever / Q000150:complications*; D012214:Rheumatic Heart Disease / Q000145:classification / Q000209:etiology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D013616:Tachycardia, Sinus / Q000209:etiology; D013997:Time Factors