[The results of a retrospective examination of patients with acute rheumatic fever].

The authors describe the results obtained during retrospective examinations of 45 subjects who suffered from acute rheumatic fever 10-14 years before. Of these, 19 subjects were treated with prednisolone in the acute disease period, 16 with indomethacin, and 8 subjects with voltaren. The examinations were mostly randomized (30 subjects); no differences in the anti-inflammatory effect were discovered. Heart disease was found in 9 persons (20%). Of these, 6 were treated with prednisolone, 2 with indomethacin, and 1 with voltaren. The disease relapses were recorded in 4 of them, the signs of valvulitis in the past were shown only by 2 persons (echocardiographically). 12 persons (27%) had mitral valve prolapse which had not been diagnosed on the first admission to the hospital, with any clinical signs of hypermotility lacking. In 18 persons (40%) having no valve lesions (disease, prolapse), an x-ray examination revealed a slight increase of the heart size, estimated as a manifestation of postmyocardial cardiosclerosis. Thus, it has been shown that modern anti-inflammatory therapy does not prevent the development of heart disease. Apparently, its onset is related to specific proneness in some of the patients.