- Email: [email protected]
The prevention of acute rheumatic fever
-CL1
AMERICAN
HEART
JOURNAI,
Attention is directed to the frequency of infection of healthy heart valves by streptococcus, which not uncommonly causes mild genital-tract sepsis, particularly after abortion. The criteria for the diagnosis of acute bacterial endocarditis which may occur during the course of a generalized infection are discussed. AUTHORS.
Arrillaga,
F. C.:
Segmentary
Pericarditis.
Arch. Inst. Cardiol.
Mex. 14: 225, 1945.
A description is given of the radiographic features of the pericarditis that develop when the pericardium has adhesions or partitions produced by previous pericardial episodes (segmentary pericarditis), Four varieties may be distinguished, which yield characteristic radiologic pictures: the left, right, tiperior, and inferior segmentary pericarditis. The x-ray pictures supply the evidence of this classification. AUTHOR.
Keith,
J. D., and Ross, A.: Observations Canad. M. A. J. 52: 554, 1945.
on Salicylate
Therapy
in Rheumatic
Fever.
The oral administration of 13.3 Gm. (200 grains) of sodium salicylate with an equal quantity of sodium bicarbonate produces an average blood level of 31 mg. per cent. Ten grams (150 grains) of sodium salicylate with sodium bicarbonate produces a blood level averaging 27 mg. per cent. Such levels are sufficient to control joint symptoms, keep the temperature down, and reduce the pulse rate. The sedimentationn rate returned to normal in an average of four weeks in the group on 10 to 13.3 Gm. of salicylate and four and one-half weeks in the group on 0 to 1.7 Gm. The incident of heart disease was approximately the same in the high salicylate group as in the low salicylate group. The numbers were not adequate to draw unequivocal occlusions. Ten per cent of the rheumatic patients who entered the hospital with normal hearts developed rheumatic heart disease that could be recognized at the time of discharge. Nausea, vomiting, and tinnitus are much more common early in the administration of salicylates than after the patient has been receiving the drug for several days. These symptoms are not usually sufficient cause for stopping treatment. There was no evidence of kidney damage in this series. Three patients had toxic reactions characterized by hyperpnea. One of these might be labeled severe. AUTHORS.
Fullerton, C. W.: 1945.
The Prevention
of Acute Rheumatic
Fever.
Canad. M. A. J. 52: 55Q,
Administration of 0.5 Gm. of sulfadiazine twice daily prevented the recurrence of This experience has been observed in 250,000 sailors during acute artieular rheumatism. the winter months. The salicylates prevented the residual effects if they were continued long The subjects treated prophylactically with sulfadiazine have after an attack of rheumatism. been equally protected against scarlet fever and meningococcus meningitis. AUTEOR. Taran, J.
L. M., and Jacobs, M. IX.: Pediat. 27: 59, 1945.
Salicylate
Therapy
in Rheumatic
Fever in Children.
Rheumatic polyarthritis responds promptly and effectively to large doses of salicylates. This result can be attained by both oral and intravenous use of salicylates. The intravenous route in our series of cases did not seem to offer significant advantages over the oral route was encountered in reachprovided the same plasma salicylate level is reached. No di&ulty The technical difficulties ing the desired plasma level with oral salicylate administration. and the annoying symptoms ever present in the intravenous method of therapy in our experience outweigh the possible benefits derived from this method of shortening slightly the period during which rheumatic activity exists. Massive doses of salicylates in this group of cases did not present any thrombopenic disturbances and failed to show any detectable evidence of acidosis. Massive doses of salicylates used in rheumatic carditis in children seem to produce equally prompt and effective results. The sedimentation rate returns to normal as promptly as in the polyarthritie group provided the therapy is instituted at the onset of rheumatic
AMERICAN
HEART
JOURNAI,
Attention is directed to the frequency of infection of healthy heart valves by streptococcus, which not uncommonly causes mild genital-tract sepsis, particularly after abortion. The criteria for the diagnosis of acute bacterial endocarditis which may occur during the course of a generalized infection are discussed. AUTHORS.
Arrillaga,
F. C.:
Segmentary
Pericarditis.
Arch. Inst. Cardiol.
Mex. 14: 225, 1945.
A description is given of the radiographic features of the pericarditis that develop when the pericardium has adhesions or partitions produced by previous pericardial episodes (segmentary pericarditis), Four varieties may be distinguished, which yield characteristic radiologic pictures: the left, right, tiperior, and inferior segmentary pericarditis. The x-ray pictures supply the evidence of this classification. AUTHOR.
Keith,
J. D., and Ross, A.: Observations Canad. M. A. J. 52: 554, 1945.
on Salicylate
Therapy
in Rheumatic
Fever.
The oral administration of 13.3 Gm. (200 grains) of sodium salicylate with an equal quantity of sodium bicarbonate produces an average blood level of 31 mg. per cent. Ten grams (150 grains) of sodium salicylate with sodium bicarbonate produces a blood level averaging 27 mg. per cent. Such levels are sufficient to control joint symptoms, keep the temperature down, and reduce the pulse rate. The sedimentationn rate returned to normal in an average of four weeks in the group on 10 to 13.3 Gm. of salicylate and four and one-half weeks in the group on 0 to 1.7 Gm. The incident of heart disease was approximately the same in the high salicylate group as in the low salicylate group. The numbers were not adequate to draw unequivocal occlusions. Ten per cent of the rheumatic patients who entered the hospital with normal hearts developed rheumatic heart disease that could be recognized at the time of discharge. Nausea, vomiting, and tinnitus are much more common early in the administration of salicylates than after the patient has been receiving the drug for several days. These symptoms are not usually sufficient cause for stopping treatment. There was no evidence of kidney damage in this series. Three patients had toxic reactions characterized by hyperpnea. One of these might be labeled severe. AUTHORS.
Fullerton, C. W.: 1945.
The Prevention
of Acute Rheumatic
Fever.
Canad. M. A. J. 52: 55Q,
Administration of 0.5 Gm. of sulfadiazine twice daily prevented the recurrence of This experience has been observed in 250,000 sailors during acute artieular rheumatism. the winter months. The salicylates prevented the residual effects if they were continued long The subjects treated prophylactically with sulfadiazine have after an attack of rheumatism. been equally protected against scarlet fever and meningococcus meningitis. AUTEOR. Taran, J.
L. M., and Jacobs, M. IX.: Pediat. 27: 59, 1945.
Salicylate
Therapy
in Rheumatic
Fever in Children.
Rheumatic polyarthritis responds promptly and effectively to large doses of salicylates. This result can be attained by both oral and intravenous use of salicylates. The intravenous route in our series of cases did not seem to offer significant advantages over the oral route was encountered in reachprovided the same plasma salicylate level is reached. No di&ulty The technical difficulties ing the desired plasma level with oral salicylate administration. and the annoying symptoms ever present in the intravenous method of therapy in our experience outweigh the possible benefits derived from this method of shortening slightly the period during which rheumatic activity exists. Massive doses of salicylates in this group of cases did not present any thrombopenic disturbances and failed to show any detectable evidence of acidosis. Massive doses of salicylates used in rheumatic carditis in children seem to produce equally prompt and effective results. The sedimentation rate returns to normal as promptly as in the polyarthritie group provided the therapy is instituted at the onset of rheumatic