Evaluation of the epidemiological findings of acute rheumatic fever between 1981 and 2012

Abstract

Background: The aim of this study was to determine the incidence of acute rheumatic fever (ARF) in Turkish children.

Material and Methods: Our data was collected from the population and hospital based studies in Turkey between 1981 and 2012. We examined 12 studies reported from Turkey between these dates.

Results: Between 1981-1990, 1991-2000, 2001-2012; 573, 1677, 1688 patients had been followed up, respectively. In these three periods of follow up time carditis was observed in (51, 62 and 71% of patients), arthritis in (67, 68, 56% of patients), Sydenham's chorea in (13, 13 and 13% of patients) and erythema marginatum in (2, 0.1, 1% of patients), respectively. Between 1981-1990, 1991-2000 and 2001-2012 the incidence of ARF was detected 1.1/100.000, 2.6/100.000 and 2.3/100.000, respectively.

Conclusion: While ARF incidence in Turkey had remained at a constant rate until 1980, a rapid decline occurred after this time, and this decline remained almost unchanged until 2012.

Keywords

• Acute rheumatic fever,Incidence,Prevalence,Turkey

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