Skip to main content

Rheumatic Fever

Robert J Casey, MD Reviewed 04/2024
 


BASICS

DESCRIPTION

  • Acute rheumatic fever (ARF) is an autoimmune, inflammatory response to infection with group A Streptococcus (GAS) that affects multiple organ systems.

  • Untreated acute disease can lead...

DIAGNOSIS

  • 2015 Revised Jones Criteria and lab evidence of preceding GAS infection are used for diagnosis.

  • Initial ARF: 2 major OR 1 major + 2 minor

  • Recurrent ARF: 2 major OR 1 major + 2 minor OR 3 minor

  • ...

TREATMENT

GENERAL MEASURES

  • Antibiotic

  • Anti-inflammatory agent (aspirin or naproxen)

  • Manage other manifestations as indicated (e.g., chorea, dysrhythmia, carditis, or heart failure).

MEDICATION

First Line

  • Er...

ONGOING CARE

FOLLOW-UP RECOMMENDATIONS

  • Secondary prophylaxis: antibiotic therapy from time of diagnosis until at least age 21 years, or 5 years after diagnosis (whichever comes later)

  • In patients with A...

REFERENCES

1
Kumar RK, Antunes MJ, Beaton, A, et al; Contemporary diagnosis and management of rheumatic heart disease: implications for closing the gap: a scientific statement from the American Heart A...

CODES

ICD10

  • I00 Rheumatic fever without heart involvement

  • I01.9 Acute rheumatic heart disease, unspecified

  • I01.0 Acute rheumatic pericarditis

  • I01.1 Acute rheumatic endocarditis

  • I02.9 Rheumatic chorea witho...

CLINICAL PEARLS

  • ARF is an autoimmune, inflammatory disease that follows a GAS pharyngeal infection and affects multiple organ systems, most notably, the heart.

  • Modified Jones criteria now delineates be...

Subscribe to Access Full Content

Sign Up for a 10-Day Free Trial

Sign up for a 10-day FREE Trial now and receive full access to all content.

 
×