title: Treatment of acute Sydenham's chorea with methyl-prednisolone pulse-therapy.
abstract: Serious adverse effects with antichoreic drugs can occur in patients with acute Sydenham's chorea (SC). The response to conventional treatment in severe SC may also be poor. Thus alternative therapeutic strategies have been developed. We report on four patients with severe acute SC (two with chorea paralytica and two with neuroleptic-induced parkinsonism) treated with i.v. methyl-prednisolone pulse-therapy followed by oral prednisone. The mean+/-SEM clinical rating score dropped from 63.7+/-10.2 to 33.5+/-10.6 in the first month post-treatment but in a lesser degree thereafter. Only one patient developed weight gain and 'moon facies'. This case series suggests that immune suppression with corticosteroids may be an effective and safe treatment in complicated and severe acute SC.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Faculty of Medicine and Movement Disorders Clinic, Federal University of Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, MG 30150-290, Brazil.
authors.forename: Antônio L
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Teixeira
authors.forename: Débora P
authors.initials: DP
authors.lastname: Maia
authors.forename: Francisco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Cardoso
mesh_terms: D000208:Acute Disease; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D002819:Chorea / Q000188:drug therapy*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007275:Injections, Intravenous; D008297:Male; D008775:Methylprednisolone / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D018696:Neuroprotective Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D020551:Pulse Therapy, Drug; D012720:Severity of Illness Index
chemical_list: D018696:Neuroprotective Agents; D008775:Methylprednisolone