Incidence and prognosis of rheumatic carditis in a Belgian hospital. A 10-yr review (1965-1974).

106 cases of first attack of acute rheumatic fever were recorded during a decade (ending in 1974) in a Brussels pediatric clinic. 56 patients were Belgian and 50 were children of immigrants. The incidence of acute carditis was 23% among the former, 46% among the latter (P less than or equal to 0.01), and 34% among the whole group. The frequency of residual heart disease after a 3-yr antistreptococcal prophylaxis fell to 20% among the whole group. The difference in morbidity observed between Belgian children and children of immigrants calls for a prospective epidemiological study.