The psychiatric symptoms of rheumatic fever.
OBJECTIVE
This study examined the frequency and age at onset of psychiatric disorders among children with rheumatic fever, Sydenham's chorea, or both and a comparison group.


METHODS
Twenty children with rheumatic fever, 22 with Sydenham's chorea, and 20 comparison children were assessed by means of a semistructured interview and rating scales for tic disorders and obsessive-compulsive disorder.


RESULTS
Obsessive-compulsive symptoms were more frequent in both the Sydenham's chorea and rheumatic fever groups than in the comparison group. The Sydenham's chorea group had a higher frequency of major depressive disorder, tic disorders, and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) than both the comparison and rheumatic fever groups. ADHD symptoms were associated with a higher risk of developing Sydenham's chorea.


CONCLUSIONS
Both the rheumatic fever and Sydenham's chorea groups were associated with a higher risk of developing neuropsychiatric disorders than the comparison group. ADHD appears to be a risk factor for Sydenham's chorea in children with rheumatic fever.
Mercadante
M T
MT
Department of Psychiatry, Medical School, University of São Paulo, Brazil. mtmerc@mtecnetsp.com.br
Busatto
G F
GF
Lombroso
P J
PJ
Prado
L
L
Rosário-Campos
M C
MC
do Valle
R
R
Marques-Dias
M J
MJ
Kiss
M H
MH
Leckman
J F
JF
Miguel
E C
EC
D000367:Age Factors; D017668:Age of Onset; D001289:Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology; D001938:Brazil / Q000453:epidemiology; D002648:Child; D002819:Chorea / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology; D015897:Comorbidity; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology; D009771:Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology; D015995:Prevalence; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012213:Rheumatic Fever / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology; D020323:Tics / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology