Diagnostic Criteria for Rheumatic Fever

The diagnostic criteria for rheumatic fever mainly include the following aspects: 1. Major criteria: - Carditis, such as heart murmurs, cardiac enlargement, pericarditis, or congestive heart failure. - Polyarthritis, typically affecting large joints such as the knees, ankles, elbows, and wrists, and characterized by migratory patterns. - Chorea,表现为 rapid, irregular, and purposeless involuntary movements. - Erythema marginatum, commonly found on the trunk and proximal extremities. - Subcutaneous nodules, located in the subcutaneous tissue on the extensor surfaces of the joints. 2. Minor criteria: - Fever accompanied by joint symptoms. - Arthralgia. - Laboratory findings such as elevated erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) or increased C-reactive protein (CRP) levels. 3. Evidence of streptococcal infection: - Elevated titers of antistreptolysin O (ASO) or other antistreptococcal antibodies. - Positive throat culture for streptococcus. The diagnosis of rheumatic fever requires the presence of at least two major criteria, or one major criterion plus two minor criteria, along with evidence of streptococcal infection.