[Exceptionally good response to sodium valproate in patients with recurrent Sydenham's chorea].

Abstract

Sydenham's chorea is the most common acquired cause of chorea in the third world. We report a case of recurrent chorea successfully treated with sodium valproate. Miss A.C, aged 16, with a history of recurrent angina reported an episode of choreic movements 2 years before requiring treatment with haloperidol and prevention of rheumatic fever. The patient interrupted her treatment with occurrence of a relapse a few months later. Brain MRI and transthoracic ultrasound were normal. Preventive treatment with extencilline and haloperidol was restarted without any improvement, hence the treatment with sodium valproate. The patient responded very well after 2 months of treatment, without recurrence at 3 years' follow-up. The treatment of Sydenham's chorea was based on neuroleptics. Recent studies advocate the use of other more effective and better tolerated molecules.

• Authors: Siham Bouchal, Ouarda Ouali, Mouhamed Faouzi Belahsen
• Journal: The Pan African medical journal (Pan Afr Med J) Vol. 27 Pg. 212 ( 2017) ISSN: 1937-8688 [Electronic] Uganda
• Vernacular Title: Réponse spectaculaire au valproate de sodium d’une chorée de Sydenham récurrente.
• PMID: 28979614 (Publication Type: Case Reports, Journal Article)

Chemical References

• Anticonvulsants
• Valproic Acid
• Haloperidol

Topics

• Adolescent
• Anticonvulsants (therapeutic use)
• Chorea (drug therapy, physiopathology)
• Female
• Follow-Up Studies
• Haloperidol (therapeutic use)
• Humans
• Recurrence
• Rheumatic Fever (prevention & control)
• Treatment Outcome
• Valproic Acid (therapeutic use)