The antistreptococcal immune responses in children with acute rheumatic fever in Kuwait.

SUMMARYThe antistreptococcal immune responses in 130 children with Acute Rheumatic Fever (ARF), seen in Kuwait, over a period of three years, are presented. The ages of children ranged between three to 13 years. One hundred and three presented in initial attacks while 27 presented in recurrences. The geometric mean of antistreptolysin ‘O’ (ASO) and antihyalorudinase (AH) titres for all patients were 488 Todd Units and 595 units, respectively. In children under the age of eight years, but not above this age, the geometric mean of ASO titres was significantly higher in children with carditis than in those without carditis (P < 0·01); there was no significant difference in AH titres between the two groups. Analysis of the Geometric Mean Titres (GMT) of both antibodies in relation to other variables is also presented.