What are the symptoms of rheumatic fever?

Written by Li Jing

Rheumatology

Updated on September 28, 2024

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Rheumatic fever is a delayed, non-suppurative sequelae caused by a streptococcus infection. It primarily presents as arthritis, heart valve disease, chorea, subcutaneous nodules, and erythema, and some cases also exhibit fever. It mainly occurs in adolescents and children aged 5 to 14. It is primarily related to symptoms that appear after an upper respiratory tract streptococcus infection. If the individual has good resistance, symptoms may only resemble those of a cold, such as sore throat, runny nose, and fever, and these symptoms can be relieved after anti-infection treatment without any residual sequelae. However, people with weaker resistance may develop these sequelae after an upper respiratory tract infection, including joint pain and heart valve disease. Therefore, it is crucial to receive proper treatment during the acute phase to prevent any lasting sequelae.

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Written by Yang Ya Meng

Rheumatology

53sec

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Is the rheumatoid factor high in rheumatic fever?

Patients with rheumatic fever often do not have elevated rheumatoid factor levels, as rheumatic fever primarily follows a streptococcal infection. There is typically an increase in anti-streptolysin O antibodies, while rheumatoid factors are often negative. In addition to elevated anti-streptolysin O, patients with rheumatic fever may also experience valvular heart disease, most commonly mitral stenosis. Some patients may present with skin erythema and symptoms similar to chorea, which leads us to consider the possibility of rheumatic fever. The treatment of rheumatic fever primarily involves regular antibiotic therapy and continued administration of intramuscular benzathine penicillin for a period of time. (The use of medications should be under the guidance of a professional doctor.)

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Written by Yang Ya Meng

Rheumatology

55sec

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The difference between rheumatic fever and rheumatoid arthritis

Patients with rheumatoid arthritis primarily exhibit symmetrical swelling and pain in the small joints of both hands as the main clinical manifestations, with rarely any involvement of visceral organs. Blood tests can show elevated inflammatory markers, erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), C-reactive protein, as well as positive rheumatoid factor, anti-CCP antibodies, and AK antibodies. These indicators can be considered as diagnostic for rheumatoid arthritis. Patients with rheumatic fever, in addition to joint pain, often have cardiac complications, such as mitral stenosis or chorea-like symptoms. The main difference between rheumatic fever and internal rheumatism is that patients with rheumatic fever often have cardiac complications.

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Written by Yang Ya Meng

Rheumatology

57sec

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Rheumatic fever clinical symptoms

The clinical manifestations of rheumatic fever primarily include: Some patients may experience low fever and rashes, and about half of the patients may exhibit symptoms such as morning stiffness. The joint pain associated with rheumatic fever often occurs more frequently in the large joints of the lower limbs and is asymmetrical, but it can also affect small joints and central axis joints. It commonly presents as non-migratory arthritis. Secondly, patients with rheumatic fever may experience cardiac involvement, with the most common being heart valve disease, particularly mitral valve stenosis. Additionally, patients with rheumatic fever may also suffer from kidney involvement, often presenting with symptoms such as hematuria and proteinuria, which are typical clinical symptoms of rheumatism.

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Written by Liu Li Ning

Rheumatology

49sec

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Is a hot towel compress useful for rheumatism?

Rheumatic fever is not effectively treated by applying a towel. It is a systemic inflammatory disease caused by an infection of group A beta-hemolytic streptococcus. Clinically, common manifestations include fever, erythema marginatum, subcutaneous nodules, joint pain or arthritis, chorea, and carditis. The heart involvement primarily affects the valves, with the mitral and tricuspid valves being the most commonly affected, leaving many patients with valvular vegetations. The incidence of rheumatic fever has become relatively rare, mainly due to the widespread use of penicillin in recent years. During the acute phase of rheumatic fever, if joint pain occurs, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs such as etoricoxib or meloxicam can be used for treatment.

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Written by Liu Li Ning

Rheumatology

44sec

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Can rheumatic fever be contagious?

Rheumatic fever generally is not contagious. Because the onset of rheumatism is somewhat related to infection by Group A beta-hemolytic streptococcus, and it is not a contagious disease, it does not spread. Common clinical manifestations of rheumatic fever include fever, erythema marginatum, subcutaneous nodules, joint pain, chorea, and carditis. During the acute phase of rheumatism, it is recommended to rest in bed and avoid overexertion. In terms of medical treatment, because it is related to streptococcal infection, penicillin antibiotics are generally recommended. If there is concurrent carditis, corticosteroids should be used in combination to improve the condition.