Estudo de série de casos com diagnóstico inicial de febre reumática: avaliação da aplicabilidade dos Critérios de Jones.

Abstract

Rheumatic fever (RF) is an inflammatory disease that occurs after infection by group A beta-hemolytic streptococcus in genetically predisposed, mainly between 5 and 15 years, without gender predominance. O The diagnosis is clinical, through the Jones Criteria (CJ). Statistics indicate that the Brazil has a high incidence of the disease, which is responsible for 40% of heart surgeries in the country. The objective of this work was to evaluate the profile of clinical-laboratory presentation and outcomes in a series of hospitalized cases with an initial diagnosis of RF. A case series study was carried out with a profile observational, retrospective, and descriptive, carried out at the University Hospital Alcides Carneiro, in Campina Grande-PB. In this study, 26 medical records were analyzed of patients, with a mean age of 11.8 years and from 11 municipalities in the Paraíba. The distribution by gender was: 61.5% female and 38.5% male. O diagnosis was confirmed in 50% of patients. Of those who confirmed the diagnosis through the CJ, associated or not with the echocardiogram, 40% presented one major criterion and two or more minor criteria. There was simultaneous occurrence of the following major criteria: arthritis and carditis in 40%; korea and carditis in 10%; arthritis, chorea, and carditis in 10%. Chorea as an isolated symptom was verified in 10% of these patients. The diagnostic difficulties described by literature, due to the non-specificity of CJ, lack of pathognomonic sign or specific laboratory test and great variability of clinical manifestations were also observed in this study. Thus, it is suggested that professionals health are more thoughtful and prudent when applying the FT.