Significance of silent carditis and investigation of follow-up signs in acute rheumatic fever.

ABSTRACT

AIM: This study aimed to demonstrate the importance of ECHO in the diagnosis and long-term follow-up of silent carditis. MATERIAL & METHODS: This study included 182 (157 arthritis; 25 chorea) patients out of 214 patients who had been diagnosed with acute rheumatic fever for the first time. All of the patients were scanned with ECHO between specific intervals. RESULTS: While there was no recovery observed in isolated aortic insufficiency during long-term follow-up, recovery in isolated mitral insufficiency was found. As the follow-up time of the mitral and aortic insufficiencies became longer, there was an increase in recovery in aortic insufficiency. CONCLUSION: Follow-up results of silent carditis support that ECHO should be among the major criteria used to diagnose rheumatic carditis.