The following are the most important diseases or complications that may be contributed to by rheumatic fever:
Cardiovascular system (I00-I99)
- Rheumatic valvular heart disease – valvular stenosis (narrowing) or insufficiency (weakness) of all heart valves is possible:
- Mitral valve affected in 80% of cases.
- Aortic valve in about 20% of cases
- Atrial fibrillation (VHF)
Note: Patients with valvular changes are subsequently at increased risk of endocarditis (risk of endocardial inflammation).
Psyche – Nervous System (F00-F99; G00-G99).
- Chorea minor (Chorea Sydenham) – late manifestation of rheumatic fever (weeks to months) involving the corpus striatum (part of the basal ganglia belonging to the cerebrum); occurring almost exclusively in children; results in hyperkinesia (lightning-like movements), muscle hypotonia, and mental changes
Genitourinary system (kidneys, urinary tract – sex organs) (N00-N99).
- Glomerulonephritis, postinfectious – inflammation of the renal corpuscles (glomeruli) in the kidney due to deposition of immune complexes on the basement membrane of the glomerulus.
