Rheumatic fever Flashcards
1) Rheumatic fever is an autoimmune reaction caused by what bacteria?
2) What infection does this bacteria typically cause originally?
3) What type of hypersensitivity reaction is rheumatoid arthritis?
4) Typically how long after the original infection does rheumatic fever occur?
1) Group A beta-haemolytic streptococcus/strep pyogenes
2) Pharyngitis
3) Type 2
4) 2-4 weeks
Name 2 symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis
- Fever
- Joint pain
- Rash
- Shortness of breath
- Chorea
- Nodules
1) What kind of arthritis does rheumatic fever cause?
2) What occurs in this type of arthritis?
3) Which joints are most commonly affected?
1) Migratory arthritis
2) Different joints become inflamed and heal at different rates making it seem like the arthritis is moving from 1 joint to the other
3) Large joints
Name a complication of rheumatoid arthritis relating to the heart
- Heart failure
- Tachycardia or bradycardia
- Pericardial rub
- Murmurs
1) What is a diagnosis of rheumatic fever based on?
2) What is the criteria for diagnosis?
3) What are the 5 aspects of the major criteria
4) What are the 4 aspects of the minor criteria
1) Jones criteria
2) Recent streptococcal infection and either 2 major criteria or 1 major criteria and 2 minor criteria
3) Joint arthritis, Organ inflammation, i.e. carditis, Nodules, Erythema marginatum rash, Sydenham chorea
4) Fever, prolonged PR interval without carditis, arthralgia without arthritis, raised inflammatory markers (CRP and ESR)
What antibiotic is used to treat streptococcal infections to prevent rheumatic fever?
Penicillin V (phenoxymethylpenicillin)
Management of patients with symptoms of rheumatic fever
1) What can be given to ease joint pain?
2) What can be given for carditis?
1) NSAIDs
2) Aspirin or steroids
1) What murmur is - in 95% of cases - caused by rheumatic fever?
2) What arrhythmia is a common finding with this murmur?
1) Mitral stenosis
2) AF
