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Rheumatic fever is an inflammatory disease that can develop as a complication of inadequately treated strep
throat or scarlet fever.
Rheumatic fever (RF) is a systemic illness that may occur following group A beta-hemolytic streptococcal
(GABHS) pharyngitis in children.
Studies in the 1950s during an epidemic on a military base demonstrated 3% incidence of rheumatic fever
in adults with streptococcal pharyngitis not treated with antibiotics.
Strep throat and scarlet fever are caused by an infection with streptococcus bacteria.
Pathophysiology
Rheumatic fever develops in children and adolescents following pharyngitis with GABHS (ie, Streptococcus
pyogenes).
The organisms attach to the epithelial cells of the upper respiratory tract and produce a battery of
enzymes, which allows them to damage and invade human tissues.
After an incubation period of 2-4 days, the invading organisms elicit an acute inflammatory response,
with 3-5 days of sore throat, fever, malaise, headache, and elevated leukocyte count.
In a small percentage of patients, infection leads to rheumatic fever several weeks after a sore throat has
resolved; only infections of the pharynx have been shown to initiate or reactivate rheumatic fever.
Direct contact with oral (PO) or respiratory secretions transmits the organism, and crowding enhances
transmission; patients remain infected for weeks after symptomatic resolution of pharyngitis and may
serve as a reservoir for infecting others.
Severe scarring of the valves develops during a period of months to years after an episode of acute
rheumatic fever, and recurrent episodes may cause progressive damage to the valves.
The mitral valve is affected most commonly and severely (65-70% of patients); the aortic valve is affected
second most commonly (25%).
The prevalence of RHD in the United States was less than 0.05 per 1000 population, with only rare
regional outbreaks reported in Tennessee in the 1960s and in Utah, Ohio, and Pennsylvania in the 1980’s.
However, a recent assessment of temporal trends of patients diagnosed with acute rheumatic fever in
the United States from 2001-2011 showed that since 2001, national acute rheumatic fever admissions has
steadily increased, with a peak in 2005, and decreased thereafter.
Worldwide, there are over 15 million cases of RHD, with 282,000 new cases and 33,000 deaths from this
disease each year.
RHD is the major cause of morbidity from rheumatic fever and is the major cause of mitral insufficiency
and stenosis in the United States and the world.
Native Hawaiians and Maori (both of Polynesian descent) have a higher incidence of rheumatic fever;
incidence of rheumatic fever in these patients is 13.4 per 100,000 hospitalized children per year, even with
antibiotic prophylaxis of streptococcal pharyngitis.
Rheumatic fever occurs in equal numbers in males and females; females with rheumatic fever fare worse
than males and have a slightly higher incidence of chorea.
Rheumatic fever is principally a disease of childhood, with a median age of 10 years; however, GABHS
pharyngitis is uncommon in children younger than 3 years, and acute rheumatic fever is extremely rare in
these younger children in industrialized countries.
Causes
Rheumatic fever is believed to result from an autoimmune response; however, the exact pathogenesis
remains unclear.
GABHS infection. Rheumatic fever only develops in children and adolescents following group A beta-
hemolytic streptococcal (GABHS) pharyngitis, and only infections of the pharynx initiate or reactivate
rheumatic fever.
Molecular mimicry. So-called molecular mimicry between streptococcal and human proteins is felt to
involve both the B and T cells of peripheral blood, with infiltration of the heart by T cells; some believe
that an increased production of inflammatory cytokines is the final mechanism of the autoimmune
reaction that causes damage to cardiac tissue in RHD.
Streptococcal antigens. Streptococcal antigens, which are structurally similar to those in the heart, include
hyaluronate in the bacterial capsule, cell wall polysaccharides (similar to glycoproteins in heart valves),
and membrane antigens that share epitopes with the sarcolemma and smooth muscle.
Decrease in regulatory T-cells. Decreased levels of regulatory T-cells have also been associated with
rheumatic heart disease and with increased severity.
Clinical Manifestations
Revised in 1992 and again in 2016, the modified Jones criteria provide guidelines for making the diagnosis of
rheumatic fever; the modified Jones criteria for recurrent rheumatic fever require the presence of 2 major, or
1 major and 2 minors, or 3 minor criteria for the diagnosis of rheumatic fever.
Throat culture. Throat cultures for GABHS infections usually are negative by the time symptoms of
rheumatic fever or rheumatic heart disease (RHD) appear; make attempts to isolate the organism prior to
the initiation of antibiotic therapy to help confirm a diagnosis of streptococcal pharyngitis and to allow
typing of the organism if it is isolated successfully.
Rapid antigen detection test. This test allows rapid detection of group A streptococci (GAS) antigen,
allowing the diagnosis of streptococcal pharyngitis to be made and antibiotic therapy to be initiated
while the patient is still in the physician’s office.
Antistreptococcal antibodies. Clinical features of rheumatic fever begin when antistreptococcal antibody
levels are at their peak; thus, these tests are useful for confirming previous GAS infection;
antistreptococcal antibodies are particularly useful in patients who present with chorea as the only
diagnostic criterion.
Acute-phase reactants. C-reactive protein and erythrocyte sedimentation rate are elevated in individuals
with rheumatic fever due to the inflammatory nature of the disease; both tests have high sensitivity but
low specificity for rheumatic fever.
Heart reactive antibodies. Tropomyosin is elevated in persons with acute rheumatic fever.
Rapid detection test for D8/17. This immunofluorescence technique for identifying the B-cell marker D8/17
is positive in 90% of patients with rheumatic fever and may be useful for identifying patients who are at
risk of developing rheumatic fever.
Chest radiography. Cardiomegaly, pulmonary congestion, and other findings consistent with heart failure
may be observed on chest radiograph in individuals with rheumatic fever.
Echocardiography. In individuals with acute RHD, echocardiography identified and quantitated valve
insufficiency and ventricular dysfunction.
Medical Management
Therapy is directed towards eliminating the GABHS pharyngitis (if still present), suppressing inflammation
from the autoimmune response, and providing supportive treatment of congestive heart failure (CHF).
Pharmacologic Management
Treatment and prevention of group A streptococci pharyngitis outlined here are based on the current
recommendations of the American Heart Association Practice Guidelines on Prevention of Rheumatic Fever
and Diagnosis and Treatment of Acute Streptococcal Pharyngitis.
Nursing Management
Nursing assessment for a child with rheumatic fever are as follows:
1. History. Obtain a complete up-to-date history from the child and the caregiver; ask about a recent sore
throat or upper respiratory infection; find out when the symptoms began, the extent of the illness, and
what if any treatment was obtained.
2. Physical exam. Begin with a careful review of all systems and note the child’s physical condition; observe
for any signs that may be classified as major or minor manifestations; in the physical exam, observe for
elevated temperature and pulse, and carefully examine for erythema marginatum, subcutaneous
nodules, swollen or painful joints, or signs of chorea.
Nursing Diagnoses
Based on the assessment data, the major nursing diagnoses are:
Reducing pain.
Providing diversional activities and sensory stimulation.
Conserving energy.
Preventing injury.
Nursing Interventions
Nursing interventions for a child with rheumatic fever include:
Provide comfort and reduce pain. Position the child to reduce joint pain; warm baths and gentle range-of-
motion exercises help to alleviate some of the joint discomforts; use pain indicator scales with children so
they are able to express the level of their pain.
Provide diversional activities and sensory stimulation. For those who do not feel very ill, bed rest can cause
distress or resentment; be creative in finding diversional activities that allow bed rest but prevent
restlessness and boredom, such as a good book; quiet games can provide some entertainment and plan
all activities with the child’s developmental stage in mind.
Promote energy conservation. Provide rest periods between activities to help pace the child’s energies and
provide for maximum comfort; if the child has chorea, inform visitors that the child cannot control these
movements, which are as upsetting to the child as they are to others.
Prevent injury. Protect the child from injury by keeping the side rails up and padding them; do not leave a
child with chorea unattended in a wheelchair and use all appropriate safety measures.