Heart disorders 2 Flashcards
What is acute rheumatic fever?
Acute immunologically mediated multi system inflammatory disease following group A beta haemolytic streptococcal infection
What is rheumatic heart disease
VALVULAR disease resulting from chronic valve damage as a result of acute rheumatic fever (AKA rheumatic valve disease)
What is the difference acute rheumatic fever and rheumatic heart disease?
acute rheumatic fever is inflammatory disease
whereas rheumatic heart disease is a valvular disease
What causes acute rheumatic fever?
An immunologically mediated inflammatory disease usually following group A streptococcal pharyngitis
In which groups of people is acute rheumatic fever common in?
Commonly in children between the ages of 5-15
What is acute rheumatic fever characterised by?
Delayed, chronic inflammatory changed in primarily the heart, blood vessels, joints subcutaneous tissue and CNS
When do symptoms and signs of acute rheumatic fever start showing?
10 days to 6 weeks post infection
What type of reaction does acute rheumatic fever cause?
A hypersensitivity reaction
a combined antibody and T cell response
To what pathogen is the immune response targeting in a patient with acute rheumatic fever?
group A strep (pharyngitis)
How can the immune response fighting acute rheumatic fever harm the host?
- Antibodies that are directed against the M proteins of streptococci end up cross reacting with self antigens in the heart
- CD4+ T cells specific for streptococcal peptides react with self proteins in the heart
- CD4+ T cells produce cytokines that activate macrophages
Immunological damage in patients with acute rheumatic fever can affect…
- Joints
- Subcutaneous tissues
- Basal ganglia of the brain
- Heart valves/ heart tissue
What is acute rheumatic fever in the heart called?
Acute rheumatic carditis
Carditis of the pericardium is called what?
Pericarditis
Carditis of the Myocardium is called what?
Myocarditis (aschoff body)
Carditis of the Endocardium is called what?
Valvulitis
What is another name for myocarditis?
Aschoff body
What is chronic valve damage due to acute rheumatic fever called?
Rheumatic heart (valve) disease
Do pericarditis or myocarditis lead to chronic disease?
No they are only vascular manifestations
What is Aschoff body
A sign of myocarditis
Describe the histology of Aschoff body
- Distinctive cardiac lesions can be seen
2. Foci of T cells, plasma cells and macrophages can be seen (anitschkow cells)
Where can Aschoff body be found?
In all three cardiac layers
What is acute rheumatic fever characterised by?
Its systemic symptoms and signs
List some of the systemic signs and symptoms of acute rheumatic fever
- Migratory polyarthritis of the large joints
- Pancarditis
- Subcutaneous nodules
- Skin lesions
- Sydenham chorea
What is Sydenham chorea?
Involuntary purposeless movements