Objective: To study the clinical profile in patients with Sydenham's chorea.
Design: Prospective.
Setting: Medical college and hospital.
Subjects: Sixty cases with Sydenham's chorea, between 1988 and 1994, were studied. Of these 36 were girls; the mean age at presentation was 11.1 yr (range 7-16 yr).
Results: Female predominance was apparent only after 9 years of age. There was a high familial incidence for both chorea and rheumatic fever. Generalized chorea was seen in 40 and hemichorea in 20 patients. The chorea lasted from 5 to 40 days; 13 patients had recurrent episodes. Gait disturbances, dysarthria and weakness were common. Six patients had co-existing heart disease, 4 had arthritis and one had subcutaneous nodules. A raised ESR and positive ASO titer were seen in 37 and 20 patients respectively.
Conclusions: There was an increased incidence of Sydenham's chorea after 9 years of age in girls possibly suggesting the influence of female sex hormones. A high incidence of neurologic manifestations were noted. Acute phase reactants were raised in almost half the patients. Sodium valproate, whenever used, was effective in controlling the chorea.