[Cardiolipin antibodies in acute rheumatic fever].

The paper presented the results obtained in studying the patients with acute rheumatic fever for antibodies to cardiolipin (ACL). The study resulted in the establishment that the development of immunopathies in the presence of acute rheumatic fever combined with the acute streptococcal infection was accompanied by hyperproduction of ACL (more common IgG versus IgM isotypes). The phenomenon mentioned widened the spectrum of acute infectious diseases associated with an increase in ACL synthesis.

[The results of a retrospective examination of patients with acute rheumatic fever].

The authors describe the results obtained during retrospective examinations of 45 subjects who suffered from acute rheumatic fever 10-14 years before. Of these, 19 subjects were treated with prednisolone in the acute disease period, 16 with indomethacin, and 8 subjects with voltaren. The examinations were mostly randomized (30 subjects); no differences in the anti-inflammatory effect were discovered.

[The serum neopterin level in acute rheumatic fever].

Acute rheumatic fever (ARF) is a systemic inflammatory disease etiologically related to infection with group A streptococcus characterized by a broad spectrum of disorders of cellular and humoral immunity. To estimate the activity of the immunopathological process and to forecast myocardial derangement in ARF patients, measurements were made of neopterin in the serum of ARF patients. Nine men with ARF serving in the armed forces were examined.

[Acute rheumocarditis in young men].

A study was made of the characteristic features of rheumocarditis in 200 young recruits. Rheumocarditis developed within the first 2-3 days since the onset of migrating polyarthritis and high fever. In many cases, it was accompanied by rhythm and conduction disorders as well as by a moderate increase of the left heart in combination with intracardiac hemodynamic disturbances.

[The detection of streptococci, the study of their immunobiological properties and the determination of lipoproteinase antibodies and anti-immunoglobulins in patients with acute rheumatic fever].

Bacteriological confirmation of the presence of group A Streptococcus (GAS) in patients with acute rheumatic fever (ARF) by means of the express method was achieved only in 15.1% of the cases and the positive growth of the culture was observed only in 12.1%.

[Acute rheumatic polyarthritis in young men].

As many as 200 patients with acute rheumatic fever were examined. Impairment of the joints in the form of classic migrating polyarthritic was detected in 96% of the cases. The knee (in 80%), talocrural (in 72%), slightly rare radiocarpal (in 21%), and elbow joints were mostly damaged.

[The results of the indomethacin treatment of patients with acute rheumatic fever].

The authors describe the results of studying the anti-inflammatory effect of indomethacin in 102 young men suffering from acute rheumatic fever (ARF). It has been shown that indomethacin has a remarkable anti-inflammatory effect both on the general disease manifestations and on the basic symptoms. For instance, in ARF patients, fever disappeared on days 2-4 of the treatment whereas the signs of arthritis on days 7-8 of the treatment, on the average.

[The clinico-echocardiographic signs of rheumocarditis in acute rheumatism in adults and their dynamics under the influence of antirheumatic therapy].

Of 45 patients with acute rheumatic fever 23 manifested enlargement of the left ventricle. Of these, 14 patients had it combined with an increase in the stroke volume, the syndrome of load with the left ventricular volume. These alterations disappeared or lessened by the end of the treatment.