Key result
Ballistocardiograms detect abnormalities in ~11% of acute rheumatic fever cases despite cardiac involvement.
Why the study?
The frequency of abnormal ballistocardiograms in acute rheumatic fever patients with or without clinical cardiac involvement was unclear.
Does ballistocardiography detect cardiac involvement in young adult males with acute rheumatic fever?
Observational (n=18)
Does ballistocardiography detect cardiac involvement in young adult males with acute rheumatic fever?
Abnormal ballistocardiograms are rarely found in acute rheumatic fever, even when clinical evidence of cardiac involvement is present.
Answers are grounded in this paper and cite their sources.
Ballistocardiograms rarely detect cardiac involvement in acute rheumatic fever; leaves open diagnostic utility versus modern echocardiography.
Sixty-four ballistocardiograms were obtained on a portable equalized electromagnetic ballistocardiograph from 18 young adult males with acute rheumatic fever. Thirteen of these subjects had clinical findings suggestive of heart involvement and five did not. Abnormal records were obtained from only one patient in each group. It appears, therefore, that abnormal ballistocardiograms are not often found in acute rheumatic fever even when evidences of cardiac involvement are present.
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Abrams et al. (1954) conducted an observational in Acute rheumatic fever (n=18). Ballistocardiogram was evaluated on Abnormal ballistocardiogram records. Abnormal ballistocardiograms were found in only 2 of 18 young adult males with acute rheumatic fever, indicating they are rarely abnormal even when cardiac involvement is present.
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