title: Poststreptococcal reactive arthritis: what is it and how do we know?
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To find out whether poststreptococcal reactive arthritis (PSRA) is a discrete, homogeneous clinical syndrome.
  
  
  METHODS
  Literature review from case reports and case series.
  
  
  RESULTS
  One hundred and eighty-eight cases were identified. The age distribution was bimodal, with one peak in childhood and one peak in adulthood. Eighty-three percent of streptococcal isolates were group A. The clinical presentation was heterogeneous but appeared different both from that of acute rheumatic fever (ARF) and from that of HLA B27-associated reactive arthritis. Carditis was rare.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The term PSRA encompasses significant heterogeneity. The link between the arthritis and the streptococcal infection is unproven.
authors.affiliation: Department of Rheumatology, Northwick Park Hospital, Harrow, Middlesex, UK. sarah.mackie@doctors.org.uk
authors.forename: S L
authors.initials: SL
authors.lastname: Mackie
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Keat
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D000890:Anti-Infective Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D016918:Arthritis, Reactive / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000382:microbiology*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006680:HLA Antigens / Q000032:analysis; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D013290:Streptococcal Infections / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000382:microbiology*; D013297:Streptococcus pyogenes / Q000302:isolation & purification
chemical_list: D000890:Anti-Infective Agents; D006680:HLA Antigens