[Evaluating active rheumatism with biopsy of the ventricular myocardium]

Endomyocardial biopsy (EMB) specimens obtained from ventricles in 10 patients with rheumatic heart disease were examined under light microscope. The results showed that typical Aschoff bodies and Anitschkow cells were found in 5 cases and Anitschkow cells only in other 2 cases. The positive detecting rate of active rheumatic lesion was 70 per cent. Active rheumatism was suggested clinically in 4 out of 7 cases with positive rheumatic lesions, whereas no clinical active rheumatism was suggested in the remaining three. The present study indicates that the active rheumatism lesions are frequently present in patients with rheumatic heart disease. Among the 3 cases without active rheumatic lesions, clinical active rheumatism was suggested in one, but no active clinical rheumatic evidence in the remaining two. In conclusion, the EMB technique gives limited value in assessing clinical active rheumatism in patients with rheumatic heart disease.