ACUTE RHEUMATIC FEVER IN A LARGE SOUTHERN HOSPITAL OVER THE FIVE YEAR PERIOD 1950 THROUGH 1954

Abstract

Incidence of this disease was 0.59% (162 admissions) of 105,476 admissions to the Medicine and Pediatric wards, as compared with 0.62% at New Orleans Charity Hospital. Occurrence of major manifestations was: carditis 56.2%; polyarthritis 63.6% chorea 9.3%, subcutaneous nodules 3.1%; erythema marginatum 0.6%. Fever, elevated sedimentation rate, and history of prior infection occurred in over 50% of cases, and increased PR interval and past history of rheumatic fever in less than 50%. Of 20 whites, the male/female ratio was 12/8; of 142 negroes, 53/89. Attack rate was greatest at ages 5 through 14, with an age range of 3 through 39, and a mean age of 14. The 9 deaths (5.6%) were due to cardiac decompensation.