Association of rheumatic fever with serum albumin concentration and body iron stores in Bangladeshi children: case-control study

Abstract

Malnutrition in early life may cause metabolic1 and immune2 imbalance and consequently affect tissue reactivity of the child to group A β haemolytic streptococcal infection of the throat, leading to rheumatic fever.1 In developing countries protein and iron deficiencies during childhood are common and cause growth retardation,3 which is also found in rheumatic fever.4 Iron deficiency predisposes to repeated infections,3 which are necessary for a rheumatic attack. We examined whether rheumatic fever is associated with serum protein concentrations and body iron stores in Bangladeshi children. View this table: Mean (SD) concentrations of nutritional markers, with risk of rheumatic fever associated with one unit increase in their serum values Recruitment of subjects and their socioeconomic background are described elsewhere.4 Briefly, 218 consecutive subjects aged 5 to 20 years who had a recent infection with group A β haemolytic streptococci were selected in the outpatient clinic of the National Centre for Control of Rheumatic Fever and Heart Diseases, Dhaka. Of them, 60 had rheumatic fever (as …