Causes of Sydenham chorea
List of causes of Sydenham chorea
Following is a list of causes or underlying conditions
(see also Misdiagnosis of underlying causes of Sydenham chorea)
that could possibly cause Sydenham chorea includes:
Causes of Sydenham chorea (Diseases Database):
The follow list shows some of the possible medical causes of Sydenham chorea
that are listed by the Diseases Database:
Source: Diseases Database
Sydenham chorea Causes: Book Excerpts
Sydenham chorea as a symptom:
Conditions listing Sydenham chorea
as a symptom may also be potential underlying causes of Sydenham chorea.
Our database lists the following as having
Sydenham chorea as a symptom of that condition:
What causes Sydenham chorea?
Causes: Sydenham chorea:
A possibly-autoimmune reaction to a streptococcal rheumatic fever, often as much as 6 months after the rheumatic infection.
The
disorder may strike up to 6 months after the fever or infection has
cleared. The chorea is believed to result from an autoimmune mechanism
that occurs when the streptococcal infection causes the body to make
antibodies to specific brain regions.
(Source: excerpt from NINDS Sydenham Chorea Information Page: NINDS)
Related information on causes of Sydenham chorea:
As with all medical conditions,
there may be many causal factors.
Further relevant information on causes of Sydenham chorea may be found in:
Causes of Sydenham chorea: Online Medical Books
16 MEDICAL BOOKS ONLINE!
Review excerpts from medical books online, free, without registration,
for more information about the causes of Sydenham chorea.
Chorea:
Differential Diagnosis
(In a Page: Signs and Symptoms)
Huntington's disease (chronic progressive
hereditary chorea)
–Autosomal dominant transmission
–Associated with psychiatric symptoms and
progressive dementia
–Caudate atrophy on neuroimaging studies
–Marker on chromosome 4
-
Sydenham's chorea
–Symptoms follow febrile illness (20–30%
of cases are associated with group A strep)
–Seen in rheumatic fever
–Peak ages: 5–13 years
–More common in females
Systemic lupus erythematosus
AIDS
Hyperthyroidism
-
Chorea gravidarum
–Develops in the first 4–5 months of
pregnancy
–Resolves following delivery
Drug-induced (e.g., levodopa, stimulants, anticonvulsants, antidepressants, neuroleptics, oral contraceptives)
Stroke
Neoplasm
-
Wilson's disease
–Autosomal recessive disorder
–Deficiency in copper metabolism
–Associated with hepatic dysfunction,
dystonia, dysarthria
Benign hereditary chorea
–Autosomal dominant
–Onset before age 5
–Symptoms are nonprogressive
-
Neuroacanthocytosis
–Etiology unknown
–Characterized by chorea and deformed
erythrocytes
DRPLA
–Most common in Japan
–Characterized by chorea, ataxia, epilepsy,
and dementia
» READ BOOK EXCERPT ONLINE »
Source: In a Page: Signs and Symptoms, 2004
Chorea:
Differential Diagnosis
(In A Page: Pediatric Signs and Symptoms)
-
Toxins
–Neuroleptics, phenytoin, antiemetics, oral contraceptives, theophylline, L-dopa, stimulants, lithium, carbon monoxide, manganese
-
Sydenham chorea (in rheumatic fever)
–Migratory chorea, hypotonia, dysarthria,
emotional liability
–Usually 4 months after group A β-hemolytic Streptococcus infection
–Molecular mimicry between streptococcal and CNS antigens results in formation of cross-reactive antibodies that disrupt basal ganglia function
–Carditis is present in 80% of Sydenham chorea patients
-
Inherited choreas
–Benign familial chorea
–Juvenile Huntington chorea (usually presents
with rigidity)
–Familial paroxysmal choreoathetosis
-
Postinfectious: Mycoplasma, HSV, EBV, echovirus 25, varicella
-
Encephalitis: viral, mycoplasma, Lyme
-
Post-cardiac surgery
–“Post-pump chorea”
–Usually 2 weeks after cardiac surgery
- Syndrome or disease associated
–Wilson disease
–Hallervorden-Spatz (disorder of iron metabolism with degeneration of globus pallidus)
–Fahr disease: Encephalopathy and
progressive calcification of basal ganglia
–Lesch-Nyhan syndrome
–Ataxia-telangiectasia
-
Endocrine: Hyperthyroidism, pregnancy (chorea gravidarum)
-
Acquired brain disorders
–Multiple sclerosis, basal ganglia stroke, hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy, neoplasm
-
Abetalipoproteinemia
-
Glutaric aciduria type I
-
Neuroacanthocytosis
-
Systemic lupus erythematosus
-
Kernicterus
-
Antiphospholipid antibody syndrome
-
Mitochondrial encephalopathies
» READ BOOK EXCERPT ONLINE »
Source: In A Page: Pediatric Signs and Symptoms, 2007
Chorea [Choreiform movements]:
Medical causes
(Professional Guide to Signs & Symptoms (Fifth Edition))
Cerebral infarction
An infarction that involves the thalamic area produces unilateral or bilateral chorea. The patient may also experience dysarthria, tremors, rigidity, weakness, and sensory disturbances such as paresthesia.
Encephalitis
Chorea may occur in the recovery phase of encephalitis. Low-grade fever and athetosis may also be present, in addition to such focal neurologic signs as hemiparesis, hemiplegia, and facial droop.
Huntington’s disease
In this inherited disease, chorea may be the first sign or it may accompany the intellectual decline that leads to emotional disturbances and dementia. The patient’s movements tend to be choreoathetotic and may be accompanied by dysarthria, dystonia, prancing gait, dysphagia, and facial grimacing.
Wilson’s disease
Chorea and dystonia affecting the arms and legs are early indicators of Wilson’s disease. The patient typically experiences dysarthria, tremors, hoarseness, dysphagia, and slowed body movements; he may also exhibit emotional and behavioral disturbances, drooling, rigidity, and mental deterioration. The pathognomonic Kayser-Fleischer ring in the cornea appears as the disease progresses.
Other causes
Carbon monoxide poisoning
A patient who survives severe carbon monoxide poisoning may have neurologic signs and symptoms, such as chorea, rigidity, dementia, impaired sensory function, masklike facies, generalized seizures, and myoclonus.
Drugs
Phenothiazines (especially the piperazine derivatives), haloperidol, thiothixene, and loxapine commonly produce chorea. Metoclopramide, metyrosine, hormonal contraceptives, levodopa, and phenytoin may also cause this sign.
Lead poisoning
In the later stages, lead poisoning produces chorea in addition to seizures, headache, memory lapses, and severe mental impairment. The patient may also develop masklike facies, footdrop, wristdrop, dizziness, ataxia, weakness, lethargy, abdominal pain, anorexia, nausea, vomiting, constipation, lead line on the gums, and a metallic taste in his mouth.
Manganese poisoning
In miners who have been exposed to manganese dioxide for prolonged periods, chorea characteristically occurs with a propulsive gait, dystonia, and rigidity. Initially, the patient may have masklike facies, a resting tremor, and personality changes; later, extreme muscle weakness and lethargy occur.
» READ BOOK EXCERPT ONLINE »
Source: Professional Guide to Signs & Symptoms (Fifth Edition), 2006
Chorea:
Medical causes
(Signs & Symptoms: A 2-in-1 Reference for Nurses)
Carbon monoxide poisoning
A patient who survives severe carbon monoxide poisoning may have neurologic signs and symptoms, such as chorea, rigidity, dementia, impaired sensory function, masklike facies, generalized seizures, and myoclonus.
Cerebral infarction
A cerebral infarction that involves the thalamic area produces unilateral or bilateral chorea. The patient may also experience dysarthria, tremors, rigidity, weakness, and sensory disturbances such as paresthesia.
Encephalitis
Chorea may occur in the recovery phase of encephalitis. Low-grade fever and athetosis may also be present, in addition to such focal neurologic signs as hemiparesis, hemiplegia, and facial droop. Other signs and symptoms include headache, vomiting, photophobia, stiff neck, confusion, and drowsiness.
Huntington’s disease
In Huntington’s disease, an inherited disease, chorea may be the first sign or may occur with the intellectual decline that leads to emotional disturbances and dementia. The patient’s movements tend to be choreoathetotic and may be accompanied by dysarthria, dystonia, prancing gait, dysphagia, and facial grimacing.
Lead poisoning
In the later stages of lead poisoning, chorea occurs in addition to seizures, headache, memory lapses, and severe mental impairment. The patient may also develop masklike facies, footdrop, wristdrop, dizziness, ataxia, weakness, lethargy, abdominal pain, anorexia, nausea, vomiting, constipation, lead line on his gums, and a metallic taste in his mouth.
Manganese poisoning
In miners who have been exposed to manganese dioxide for prolonged periods, chorea characteristically occurs with propulsive gait, dystonia, and rigidity. Initially, the patient may have masklike facies, a resting tremor, and personality changes; later, extreme muscle weakness and lethargy occur.
Other causes
Drugs
Such drugs as phenothiazines (especially the piperazine derivatives), haloperidol, thiothixene, and loxapine commonly produce chorea. Metoclopramide, metyrosine, hormonal contraceptives, levodopa, and phenytoin may also cause this sign.
» READ BOOK EXCERPT ONLINE »
Source: Signs & Symptoms: A 2-in-1 Reference for Nurses, 2007
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