- Rheumatic fever - licks joints, bites the heart
- Rheumatic fever - symptoms and diagnosis
- Rheumatic fever - treatment
Rheumatic fever usually occurs as a complication of streptococcal angina and not treated with antibiotics. Rheumatic fever primarily affects children between 10 and 12 years of age. What are the symptoms of rheumatic fever? How is this angina complication treated?
Rheumatic fevertoangina complicationcaused by an abnormal immune response to the presence of antigens from contact with streptococci that caused angina. Rheumatic fever damages the joints and the heart.
Rheumatic fever - licks joints, bites the heart
Rheumatic fever causes "wandering" inflammation of joints (when one joint stops hurting, after a few to several days the inflammation appears in the next joint). Rheumatic fever does not damage the joints. In the intervals between joint ailments, the inflammatory process takes place in the heart, where cellular infiltrates (Aschoff's nodules) form, which die and scar. As a result, the narrowing of the mitral valve may occur, leading to circulatory failure and the need for surgery.
Rheumatic fever - symptoms and diagnosis
Rheumatic fever produces symptoms small and large, in line with Jones' criteria. To make a diagnosis, two large criteria or one large and two small criteria must be met simultaneously.
Small criteria:
- fever
- joint pain
- increased OB
- leukocytosis (high leukocyte count)
- preceding streptococcal infection (e.g. angina)
- relapse of rheumatic disease
- ASO titer increase above 200 units; ASO, i.e. antistreptolysin test, is a test that confirms the presence of antibodies in the human body against the extracellular antigen of group A streptococcus, i.e. streptolysin O
- presence of acute phase proteins (e.g. increased CRP protein level)
Big criteria:
- traveling arthritis (joint pain)
- heart inflammation
- subcutaneous nodules
- annular erythema (marginal)
- Sydenham's chorea (St. Vitus dance) - occurs in children; they experience chorea (resembling restlessness or dancing), emotional disorders, compulsive behavior,hyperactivity
Rheumatic fever - treatment
Rheumatic fever is treated with antibiotics - mainly penicillin. Symptomatic treatment of rheumatic fever consists in limiting physical activity, ensuring warmth and peace. Preparations from the group of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs are also used. Corticosteroids are administered in severe relapses.
