[Rheumatic fever and post-streptococcal arthritis. Clinical review]

Abstract

We report 11 patients diagnosed of Acute Rheumatic Fever (ARF), and 7 of Poststreptococcal Reactive Arthritis (PSRA): patients with group A beta hemolytic streptococcal infection and articular disease who do not fulfill the modified Jones criteria. All patients with ARF were treated with monthly prophylaxis (with penicillin G benzathine). Carditis was seen in five patients, but only one of them has developed a mitral valve insufficiency. The prophylaxis in patients with PSRA was individualized. None of these patients had clinical evidence of carditis during the acute disease, but one of them developed a mitral and aortic stenosis two years after the initial episode. The possible indication of penicillin prophylaxis in these patients with PSRA in suggested.