Rheumatic fever in an urban community.

Forty-six children with acute rheumatic fever were admitted to Coronation Hospital, Johannesburg, between April 1981 and December 1984; 4 of them were admitted twice during this period. Their ages ranged from 4.5 years to 12.4 years. Carditis was present in 26 patients, arthritis in 22, chorea in 14, subcutaneous nodules in 3 and erythema marginatum in 2. Three patients died and a further 3 had to undergo emergency valve replacement for intractable cardiac failure. Thirty-five developed rheumatic heart disease; they all had mitral regurgitation. Compliance with prophylaxis was acceptable in only 22 cases.