How To Treat Sydenham's Chorea

Use Of Corticosteroids

The use of corticosteroids in Sydenham's chorea may help reduce the duration of symptoms, decrease the risk of permanent complications, and improve general outcomes. It is thought that Sydenham's chorea is caused by an individual's immune system launching an inappropriate attack on a specific part of the brain. The immune system attacks this part of the brain in response to the invasion of group A streptococcus bacteria. The immune system in an affected individual does not intend to cause damage to its own body tissues around where the bacteria have colonized but ends up doing so to eliminate the pathogen. This autoimmune and inflammatory process is what produces the symptoms in Sydenham's chorea patients. Corticosteroids are a type of medication often used to treat autoimmune processes and disorders because they help suppress an individual's overactive immune system. Common corticosteroid medications used in individuals with Sydenham's chorea include intravenous methylprednisolone and oral deflazacort.

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