[Activity of lipid peroxidation processes in children with rheumatic fever].

Pathogenic mechanism of acute and chronic inflammation is connected to the increased production of superoxide anion, hydrogen peroxide, and other free radicals. Clinical role of lipid peroxidation (LPO) processes was studied in 38 patients in the age from 3 to 15 years old with different variants of Rheumatic Fever (RF). We have investigated the relationship between malonidialdehide (MDA) and RF. We measured the levels of MDA in the plasma in patients with acute rheumatic fever (ARF) and chronic rheumatic heart disease (CRHD). Our study revealed that the levels of MDA in patients with ARF are significantly higher than in patients with CRHD. These levels were also significantly higher in patients with history of disease for up to 2 years, than in patients with history longer than 2 years. Thus, the measurement of MDA in the plasma could be used as a laboratory test for relation of active state of rheumatic fever.