Sydenham's chorea: clinical observations from a Brazilian movement disorder clinic.
We retrospectively evaluated the clinical and epidemiological characteristics of 100 patients suffering from Sydenham's chorea (SC). Our analysis revealed a recent, progressive decline in the number of new cases. Onset of SC was frequently reported between 7 and 12 years of age, being more frequent in females. Patients with generalized or severe chorea showed a higher risk of presenting gait abnormalities and behavioral symptoms. Chorea was transitory and remitted within the first 6 months in about 50% of patients but was persistent in 40%. Almost all patients with persistent chorea remitted after a protracted course of the disease.
Tumas
Vitor
V
Ribeirao Preto School of Medicine - USP, Neurology, Psychiatry and Medical Psychology Department, Campus Universitario, Monte Alegre, 14049-900 Ribeirao Preto, Sao Paulo, Brazil. tumasv@rnp.fmrp.usp.br
Caldas
Carla Tanuri
CT
Santos
Antonio Carlos
AC
Nobre
Auro
A
Fernandes
Regina Maria França
RM
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D017668:Age of Onset; D001921:Brain / Q000473:pathology; D001938:Brazil / Q000453:epidemiology; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D002819:Chorea / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology*; D018450:Disease Progression; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric