Valor de alguns exames complementares na Coréia de Sydenha

[摘要] Sixty eight cases of Sydenham's chorea (SC) were studied with the purpose of characterizing biologically the choreic individual by means of some laboratorial data. Based on antecedents, on the presence of recent infectious disease, on clinical examination, on electrocardiographs and x-rays of the heart, and according to a modified Jones criteria the patients were initially divided in three groups: a)Group 1 — 30 patients (case 1 to 30) which presented SC associated with active rheumatic fever (RF); b) Group 2 — 20 patients (cases 31 to 50) which presented SC associated with a previou or present infectious state without active RF; c) Group 3 — 18 patients (cases 51 to 68) which presented "pure" SC, not having anything in their antecedents, or in present history, nor in their physical examinations that could justify calling them "rheumatic" or "infectious". However the analysis of the clinical data, by means of the homogenization tests (qui square or the exact Fisher test) and Goodman's contrast test showed the artificiality of this grouping, which could not be longer sustained. From the 68 cases studied the average age group was 9.9 years, with the maximum age being 17 years, and the minimum age being 4.5 years. 47 of the cases were females as compared to 21 males (2.2 to 1); 60 patients were white, 7 dark-skinned and one negro. The average evolution time of the choreic syndrome, at the time of the first consultation, was 6 months and 7 days, with a minimum of 13 days and a maximum of 60 months. The incidence of the outbreak as far as the season of the year is concerned, was as follows: