Eklem şikayeti olan ve antistreptolizin-O titresi yüksek çocuklarda profilaktik penisilin uygulamasının değerlendirilmesi

Objective: Eligibility criteria for the diagnosis of acute rheumatic fever and the reasons for the administration of prophylactic penicillin were investigated in patients admitsted with complaints of joint and high anti-streptolysin O (ASO) titers. Materials and methods: From the hospital reports, 240 patients those ASO titers were higher than 300 Todd unit and aged between 6-16 years were included to the study. The presence of swelling /redness /limitation of movement and number of affected joints, duration of complaints, presence of fever, prophylactic penicillin administration, response to therapy and repetition were asked. Eligibilsity for Jones criteria for the diagnosis of acute rheumatic fever was investigated. Results: Arthritis was present in 39 (16.25%) patients and 31 (79.5%) of these patients were given penicillin prophylaxis. The number of patients with joint pain was 201 (83.75%) and 109 (54.2%) of them were given prosphylactic penicillin administration. Conclusion: In this study, we found high penicillin adsministration rate without real indication. Acute rheumatic fever diagnosis in children should be carefully based on Jones criteria suggested by WHO and AHA and should be avoided from unnecessary prophylaxis.