COMPARATIVE EPIDEMIOLOGICAL ANALYSIS OF CASES OF RHEUMATIC FEVER IN BRAZIL IN THELAST 5 YEARS

Abstract

Pharyngotonsillitis is one of the most frequent causes of seeking health care. Rheumatic fever is a late inflammatory, non-suppurative complication of pharyngotonsillitis caused by group A Streptococcus β haemolyticus, which may affect different regions of the body. The aim of the present study was to analyze the epidemiological profile of hospitalizations for rheumatic fever in Brazil in the last 5 years. To carry out this study, epidemiological data from the DATASUS- Hospital Information System of the SUS (SIH/SUS) of the Ministry of Health were analyzed from January 2016 to December 2020. The data analyzed on hospitalizations for rheumatic fever were the number of hospitalizations and deaths stratified by patient age. It was possible to observe a high prevalence of hospitalizations for rheumatic fever, with a total of 10,458 and a low mortality with only 256 deaths. The age group with the highest number of hospitalizations was from 50 to 59 years and with the highest mortality was from 70 to 79 years. Despite the low mortality, the complications of rheumatic fever are serious, especially cardiac ones. Thus, it is of paramount importance that the early diagnosis and proper treatment of pharyngotonsillitis are improved so that in the future the number of complications from rheumatic fever presents a drop and, consequently, their hospitalizations and health expenses with them.