CHOREA AS A MANIFESTATION OF RHEUMATIC-FEVER - A 30-YEAR SURVEY (1960-1990)

Sydenham chorea, a major manifestation of acute rheumatic fever, has b een the most common form of acquired chorea during childhood. Despite the recent dramatic decline in both incidence and severity of rheumati c fever in our area, the frequency of carditis was unchanged. This stu dy investigated retrospectively the incidence of chorea in the last th ree decades (1960-1990) in our area. During the 30 years of the survey , 28 patients with Sydenham chorea were treated in our centre of whom 10 were seen between 1960-1970, 17 between 1970-1980, and only one pat ient between 1980-1990.