Effects of high-dose intravenous methylprednisolone in children with acute rheumatic carditis.

In order to measure the effects of high-dose intravenous methylprednisolone (HIVMP) and compare its efficiency with that of oral prednisolone (OP), 18 patients with active rheumatic carditis were studied. Ten patients received OP, while eight patients were treated with HIVMP. Clinical and laboratory responses to treatment were followed by sleeping pulse rate, systolic blood pressure, erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), cardiothoracic ratio (CTR), PR interval on electrocardiogram, spectral and color flow imaging and Doppler echocardiographic findings; mitral and aortic regurgitant jet flow area, left atrial area, proximal width of mitral regurgitant jet area and regurgitation fractions. The results of patients in the HIVMP group showed statistically significant changes in ESR and CTR when compared with the patients receiving OP, and the recovery was more rapid. HIVMP therapy can be considered as a new method of treatment for acute rheumatic carditis.