[Acute rheumocarditis in young men].

A study was made of the characteristic features of rheumocarditis in 200 young recruits. Rheumocarditis developed within the first 2-3 days since the onset of migrating polyarthritis and high fever. In many cases, it was accompanied by rhythm and conduction disorders as well as by a moderate increase of the left heart in combination with intracardiac hemodynamic disturbances. In 42 patients (21%), myocardial injury was coupled with mitral valve lesion. Injury to the pericardium was recorded in 20 patients (10%); fibrinous pericarditis was diagnosed in 15 patients, exudative pericarditis in 5 patients. Injury to all 3 heart membranes was ascertained in 5 patients (2.5%) (according to echocardiography). Thus, the clinical and instrumental manifestations of rheumocarditis made it possible to diagnose marked carditis symptoms almost in all the patients (in 96%). Unmarked carditis was only discovered in 7 patients. The above-mentioned characteristics of rheumocarditis in young men may be due to the intensity of the action of streptococcal infection on the heart structures within the first days of the disease as well as due to the action of immunopathological processes. Besides, a definite role may be played by the foregoing physical load.