RHEUMATIC DISEASE

                RHEUMATIC DISEASE

They are characterized by affect of collagen or connective tissue due to disturbances of immune homeostasis . Disturbances of immune homeostasis leads to development of autoimmune reactions,formation of the toxic immune complexes and sensibilizated cells ,injury of microcirculation with following systemic progressive disorganization of connective tissue.

What are the characteristics of this diseases?

Presence of chronic infectious focus.

Presence of early systemic changes of microcirculation.

Presence of hypersensitivity of immediate type with development of exudative-necrotic reactions and hypersensitivity of delayed type with formation cellular infiltration.

Systemic progressive disorganization of connective tissue that includes : some cellular reactions like swelling and sclerosis.

Genetic and environmental factors are important for development of these diseases.

                                          

Ø So much rheumatic diseases are defined in medicine some of which we are going to discuss and get to know about are rheumatic fever ,rheumatic heart disease ,rheumatic valvulitis and about the extra cardiac lesions.

•   RHEUMATIC FEVER(RF)

Rheumatic fever is an inflammatory process which can involve the heart joints ,central nervous system ,skin and subcutaneous tissues. It generally effects children from 5-15 years age.

·      The chronic stage of RF involves all the layers of the heart causing major heart diseases known as rheumatic heart disease; this may lead to some other connected diseases such joint pains and many more.

What is its etiology

 The bacteria which causes this disease this is beta-hemolytic streptococci group A. But only a some proportion of patients with this infection may get affected with rheumatic fever; the attack rate generally very low.

The symptoms of RF appear after a delay of 2-3 weeks and are not due to direct infection, these lesions have immune pathogenesis that is due to type 2 hypersensitivity reactions.

   

• RHEUMATIC HEART DISEASE

RHD or cardiac lesions –inflammation that involve the interstitial tissue of all the three layers of the heart (pancarditis).

This includes :

1.  Rheumatic endocarditis

2.  Rheumatic myocarditis

3.  Rheumatic pericarditis

What are its symptoms?

ü Fever

ü Arthralgia that is pain in joints

ü Prolonged PR interval

ü Increased ESR

ü Leucocytosis

ü Nodules formation in joints

ü Erythematic

ü chorea

How can it be diagnosed?

•     Blood tests

•       X ray

•       ECG

•      MRI  and CT scans

•      Fluid test from joints

Finally how could we treat this diseases

§  Majorly anti inflammatory drugs(ibuprofen, naproxen) and corticosteroids are used as medications for treating joint pain and inflammation.

§  We can also do some physical therapies in patients such as hot and cold therapy 

§  Specific exercises can be done to regain  joint flexibility and muscle strength  

                                          

                                                                          -BY DR.ravi ranjan
                                            -Dr.tanya sharma