Changes in valvular regurgitation in mid-term follow-up of children with first attack acute rheumatic fever: first evaluation after the updated Jones criteria

AbstractAim:In present study, we aimed to evaluate the changes in valvular regurgitations in mid-term follow-up of children with first attack acute rheumatic fever diagnosed after updated Jones criteria.Materials and methods:The medical records of the children diagnosed with acute rheumatic fever between June 2015 and November 2018 were evaluated retrospectively. When compared to the findings during diagnosis, the changes in the degree of valvular regurgitation in the last visit were coded as same, regressed, or disappeared.Results:A total of 50 children were diagnosed with the first attack of acute rheumatic fever between the noted dates. Nine patients (18%) could be diagnosed depending on the new criteria. Eight patients did not have carditis, and 35 patients (49 valves) could be followed for a median follow-up period of 11.7 ± 3.3 months. In our study, the valvar lesions continued in 82% of patients with clinical carditis at the end of the first year and the degree of valvular regurgitation decreased in 39% of them. Despite this, in a significantly higher (p = 0.031) ratio of patients with silent carditis (41%), valvar lesions disappeared in the same follow-up period. In 18.4% of the involved valves, regurgitation regressed to physiological level.Conclusion:Updated Jones criteria make it possible to diagnose a significant number of patients, and the ratio of complete recovery among patients with silent carditis is significantly higher. Also, it can be speculated that the normal children in whom a physiological mitral regurgitation is detected should be followed in terms of rheumatic heart disease.

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QT dispersion in acute rheumatic fever

Cardiology in the Young ◽

10.1017/s1047951106000060 ◽

2006 ◽

Vol 16 (2) ◽

pp. 141-146 ◽

Cited By ~ 7

Author(s):

Tugcin Bora Polat ◽

Yalim Yalcin ◽

Celal Akdeniz ◽

Cenap Zeybek ◽

Abdullah Erdem ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Rheumatic Fever ◽

Acute Rheumatic Fever ◽

Qt Dispersion ◽

Control Group ◽

Healthy Children ◽

Rheumatic Carditis ◽

Normal Children ◽

A Value ◽

The Mean

Background:Disturbances of conduction are well known in the setting of acute rheumatic fever. The aim of this study is to investigate the QT dispersion as seen in the surface electrocardiogram of children with acute rheumatic fever.Methods:QT dispersion was quantitatively evaluated in 88 children with acute rheumatic fever. Patients were divided into two groups based on the absence or presence of carditis. As a control group, we studied 36 healthy children free of any disease, and matched for age with both groups. Repeat echocardiographic examinations were routinely scheduled in all patients at 3 months after the initial attack to study the evolution of valvar lesions.Results:The mean QT dispersion was significantly higher in children with rheumatic carditis. But there was no statistical difference between children without carditis and normal children. Among the children with carditis, the mean dispersion was higher in those with significant valvar regurgitation. Dispersion of greater than 55 milliseconds had a sensitivity of 85%, and specificity of 70%, in predicting rheumatic carditis, while a value of 65 milliseconds or greater had sensitivity of 81% specificity of 85% in predicting severe valvar lesions in acute rheumatic carditis. At follow-up examination, a clear reduction on the QT dispersion was the main finding, reflecting an electrophysiological improvement.Conclusions:These observations suggest that QT dispersion is increased in association with cardiac involvement in children with acute rheumatic fever.

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Long-term observations of rheumatic carditis

Cardiology in the Young ◽

10.1017/s1047951100001001 ◽

1992 ◽

Vol 2 (3) ◽

pp. 254-260 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Kalim-ud-Din Aziz ◽

L. Cheema ◽

A.D. Memon

Keyword(s):

Heart Disease ◽

Rheumatic Fever ◽

Acute Rheumatic Fever ◽

Recurrent Infection ◽

Secondary Prophylaxis ◽

First Episode ◽

Initial Attack ◽

Rheumatic Carditis ◽

Rheumatic Heart

AbstractA total of 246 consecutive patients were seen with the diagnosis of acute rheumatic fever (and/or rheumatic heart disease) and were followed for 587.7 patient years. The episode of acute rheumatic fever was the first in 64 of these patients, whereas recurrent acute rheumatic fever was seen in 26 and the other 156 patients had chronic rheumatic carditis. At presentation, those suffering an initial attack had less frequent and less severe carditis when compared to those suffering recurrent infection (p<0.05). Improvement in carditis during follow-up was noted in those having an initial attack (p<0.1), while deterioration occurred following recurrent infection (p<0.01), and no change was noted for those with chronic infection. Recurrences of acute rheumatic fever were most frequent in those presenting with their initial infection (21%) or reinfection (35%), and dropout from follow-up was highest in the group with first infection (38%) compared to those with recurrent infection (15%) and chronic carditis (25%). Non-recognition of the first episode of acute rheumatic fever and failure of secondary prophylaxis were found to be the major contributors to the observed increased pool of recurrent and chronic rheumatic heart disease. We conclude that, in the absence of programmed primary prophylaxis of acute rheumatic fever, the best chance of controlling the progression of carditis or affecting cure is to recognize the first episode ofacute rheumatic fever and then ensure strict adherence to secondary prophylaxis. Since the prognosis of recurrent carditis is poor, the best management of moderate to severe recurrent carditis is early reparative valvar surgery wherever possible.

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