Publication: Sydenham’s Chorea as Presentation of Rheumatic Heart Disease
Date
2015
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Kathmandu University
Abstract
ABSTRACT
Sydenham’s chorea is the most common type of acquired chorea in childhood which
is a major neurological manifestation of rheumatic fever. We describe a 13 years
old girl who presented with weakness and purposeless involuntary movements
of upper and lower limbs. The symptoms slightly affected the child’s daily
activities and had an unstable gait on walking which was aggravated during stress.
Grade II ejection systolic murmur was noticed on cardiovascular examination.
Echocardiography evaluation showed thickened aortic and mitral valve leaflets
with mild to moderate degree of mitral regurgitation. Anti-streptolysin O titer
was positive (≥200 IU/ml). CT scan of brain was normal. Subsequently child was
diagnosed as Rheumatic heart disease with Sydenham’s chorea and kept on
regular Benzathine penicillin prophylaxis. Symptoms subsided spontaneously after
3 months without any further complications. Although decreasing, early diagnosis
and management of Sydenham’s chorea and Rheumatic heart disease are very
crucial and should be considered with such presentation.
KEYWORDS
Carditis, penicillin prophylaxis, rheumatic fever, sydenham’s chorea.
Description
Joshi A, Shrestha RPB, Shrestha PS, Dangol S, Shrestha NC, Poudyal P, Shrestha A
Department of Pediatrics
Dhulikhel Hospital, Kathmandu University School of Medical Sciences, Dhulikhel, Kavre, Nepal
Keywords
Carditis, Penicillin prophylaxis, Rheumatic fever, Sydenham’s chorea