SYDENHAM'S CHOREA AT THE ALBERT ROYER NATIONAL CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL :EPIDEMIOLOGICAL, CLINICAL AND PARACLINICAL ASPECTS

Description Chorea is one of the hyperkinetic abnormal movements' syndromes with a prevalence of 5% of all abnormal movements. The etiologies are multiple and dominated by Sydenham's chorea in underdeveloped countries. Purpose The objective of our study was to characterize the epidemiological, clinical, paraclinical, etiological, therapeutic and evolutionary aspects of children followed for Sydenham's chorea at the pediatric neurology unit of the Albert Royer National Children's Hospital. Patients and methods This was a retrospective and descriptive study from January 2005 to January 2019 which took place at the pediatric neurology unit of the Albert Royer National Children's Hospital in children diagnosed with Sydenham's chorea and whose age was less than or equal to 16 years. Results Within 14 years, we have collected 11 children diagnosed with Sydenham's chorea including 8 girls and an average age of 9.45 years. The extra neurological signs were rheumatic heart disease and arthralgia. All patients received neuroleptic (haloperidol) and the outcome was favorable in 90.90% of the children. Conclusion Chorea represent an uncommon symptomatology in our context Sydenham's chorea is the most common form of acute infectious chorea in children. Treatment with haloperidol remains effective in the symptomatic treatment of these choreas.