Question

You are an emergency room physician. Marcus, a 7-year-old boy, has just presented in the ER complaining that his chest hurts, his heart feels funny, and his ankles and knees hurt. His mother says that he has had a fever for the past 24 hours. Upon physical examination, you notice that his ankles and knees are red and swollen, and examination with a stethoscope reveals unusual palpitations (his heart is fluttering). You immediately order an EKG to check for signs of a heart attack, a CBC blood draw to check for signs of infection, a throat culture to check for the presence of Streptococcus, an X-ray of his legs to check for bone fractures or lesions, and a urine sample to check for bacterial contamination. Which of the following is one of the hypotheses you have put forth?

Answer 1

Hypothesis: Rheumatic Fever

Step-by-step explanation:

Rheumatic fever is an inflammatory condition that can develop as a complication of untreated streptococcal throat infection. It can lead to joint pain and swelling (ankles and knees), heart inflammation (palpitations and chest discomfort), and fever. The symptoms described align with potential signs of rheumatic fever.