Rheumatic fever and its sequels in children. A follow-up study with HLA analysis

An analysis of 170 attacks (in 158 children) treated with a diagnosis of rheumatic fever (RF) in 1956-1961 or 1970-1974 showed that the Jones revised criteria of RF were fulfilled in about 1/2 of the attacks. Arthritis occurred in 72%, carditis in 39%, chorea in 18%, and erythema marginatum in 1% of the attacks with confirmed diagnosis. No chorea was observed in 1970-1974. Follow-up of the patients showed favorable prognosis and low frequency of recurrences of RF. HLA analysis showed frequencies of A and B loci were similar, whereas "blank" finding in locus C was rarer in RF patients than in controls.