Value of anti-streptolysin O titer (ASOT) in healthy and rheumatic children / Mohammed Sameer Morsi Mohammed Elberry ; Supervised Fatma Alzahraa Mostafa Gomaa , Mohamed Samir Eid , Hend Hamed Abdellatif Tamim

Thesis (M.Sc.) - Cairo University - Faculty of Medicine - Department of Pediatrics

Background: Acute rheumatic fever (ARF) and rheumatic heart disease (RHD) are the significant nonsuppurative late sequelae of Group A beta-hemolytic streptococci (GAS) infection. The incidence and prevalence of ARF and RHD still continue to be major health problem in developing countries. Group A beta hemolytic streptococci (GABHS) is the most common bacteria that cause acute tonsillitis. Streptococcal infection can lead to rheumatic fever. The incidence of rheumatic fever in untreated cases of tonsillitis is 3% and in treated cases, the incidence falls to 0.3%. Streptococcal antibody tests are used for the diagnosis of infections caused by group A Streptococcus and are particularly useful in the diagnosis of acute rheumatic fever and poststreptococcal glomerulonephritis Objectives: Aim of this case control study is to compare ASOT values innormal children to those with rheumatic fever and children with recurrent tonsillitis, and to evaluate the variation of ASOT with frequency of tonsillitis, tonsillectomy, long acting penicillin LAP adherence and compliance Patients and methods: Our study was a Case-Control Cross-sectionalstudy conducted at Children Hospital, Cairo University during the period from October 2019 to March 2020, included 300 children, 100 with Recurrent tonsillitis attending ENT outpatient clinic of pediatric department in Abo El- Rish hospital and 100 apparently healthy children randomly chosen with no history of recent tonsillitis or sore throat served as a control group and 100 children with rheumatic fever attending to rheumatic fever clinic of pediatric department in Abo El-Rish hospital. Written approval to participate in the study was taken. Results: The study revealed that ASOT levels are higher in rheumaticfever patients compared with recurrent tonsillitis and normal children , ASOT level between 400-800 are common among RF patients and levels between 200-400 are common with recurrent tonsillitis seasonal variation of ASOT is not that apparent finding ,age of patients doesn{u2019}t seem to affect the levels of ASOT and the cutoff ASOT in normal Egyptian children is quite high, but, an isolated high ASOT is not sufficient to diagnose ARF

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