title: Changes of manifestations of 122 patients with rheumatic fever in South China during last decade.
abstract: The main objective of this study is to investigate changes of features of rheumatic fever (RF) in recent 10 years. A total of 315 patients with RF during 1985–1995 (group 1) and 1997–2007(group 2) were selected. Their manifestations were compared. Results show that the female/male ratio was 2.0. Group 2 had higher rate of low-grade fever and carditis, and lower rate of heart failure, lower positive rate of C-reactive protein and antistreptolycin o than group 1. In group 2, 61.4% patients fulfilled the updated Jones criteria, however, 76.2% fulfilled 2002–2003 WHO criteria. Diagnosing rheumatic carditis, sensibility and specificity of lymphocyte procoagulant activity (PCA) were 79.1 and 71.4%, respectively, and those of antibody to streptococcal polysaccharide (ASP) were 70.3 and 70%, respectively. Follow-up data of 35 cases were available. Recurrent rate of RF was 62.8%. Only 1/3 cases received regular secondary prevention. In conclusion, mild carditis was increasing. PCA and ASP were valuable tests for diagnosing rheumatic carditis. Atypical cases and secondary prevention need more attention.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, People’s Republic of China.
authors.forename: Lin
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Xujing
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Xie
authors.forename: Jieruo
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Gu
authors.forename: Li
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.forename: Xubing
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Buyun
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Yu
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000989:Antistreptolysin / Q000097:blood; D001779:Blood Coagulation Factors / Q000378:metabolism; D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000378:metabolism; D002681:China / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D006333:Heart Failure / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology / Q000382:microbiology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009205:Myocarditis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology; D015995:Prevalence; D012213:Rheumatic Fever / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology*; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D012737:Sex Factors; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D001779:Blood Coagulation Factors; C045072:macrophage procoagulant activity; D000989:Antistreptolysin; D002097:C-Reactive Protein