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Subject Area

Cardiology and Vascular Medicine

Article Type

Original Study

Abstract

Objectives To assess the upper limit of normal values of antistreptolysin O titer (ASOT) in healthy school-age children in Menoufia governorate. Background Acute rheumatic fever (ARF) and rheumatic heart disease are the most serious complication of group A streptococcal infection. Acute post-streptococcal glomerulonephritis occurs 2–3 weeks after skin or throat infection with group A streptococcus. Overdiagnosis of ARF based on a raised ASOT is common in endemic areas, although an isolated high ASOT is not sufficient to diagnose ARF. Patients and methods This cross-sectional study was carried out in Menoufia governorate, and the collected sample was tested in Clinical Pathology Laboratory at Menoufia University Hospitals. Our study was conducted on 4000 children during the period of September 2018 to April 2019. All children are subjected to full medical history, thorough clinical examination (general and systemic), and laboratory investigation, including ASOT and erythrocyte sedimentation rate assessment and throat culture. Results There was no significant difference between age and sex in the studied group. Our study showed also nonsignificant correlations between age and ASOT among the studied groups and among rural or urban participants. We found that the younger children aged up to 10 years had more basal levels of ASOT than older children. Conclusion We concluded that upper limit of normal values of ASOT in normal Egyptian children in Menoufia governorate is quite high and may reach up to 475 IU/ml.

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