For a child diagnosed with rheumatic fever, which lab findings would the nurse expect to see?

Get ready for the NCLEX Exam! Practice with our comprehensive quizzes and multiple choice questions. Each question offers detailed explanations to help you understand the material and improve your test-taking skills. Boost your confidence today!

Multiple Choice

For a child diagnosed with rheumatic fever, which lab findings would the nurse expect to see?

The presence of an elevated antistreptolysin O (ASO) titer is a key lab finding in a child diagnosed with rheumatic fever. Rheumatic fever is a complication that can arise after a streptococcal throat infection, and it is characterized by an immune response to the Group A Streptococcus bacteria. The ASO titer measures antibodies against streptolysin O, which is produced by the streptococcus bacteria. An increased level of ASO indicates that the child has had a recent streptococcal infection, which is essential for diagnosing rheumatic fever. Additionally, elevated levels of inflammatory markers, such as the erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) and C-reactive protein (CRP), can also be present in rheumatic fever; however, the ASO titer specifically confirms the link to previous streptococcal infection. The other options, such as the presence of Reed-Sternberg cells, are associated with other conditions like Hodgkin’s lymphoma, and decreased C-reactive protein levels would not reflect the inflammatory process seen in rheumatic fever. Thus, the elevation of ASO titer is a direct indicator of the underlying streptococcal infection that precip

The presence of an elevated antistreptolysin O (ASO) titer is a key lab finding in a child diagnosed with rheumatic fever. Rheumatic fever is a complication that can arise after a streptococcal throat infection, and it is characterized by an immune response to the Group A Streptococcus bacteria. The ASO titer measures antibodies against streptolysin O, which is produced by the streptococcus bacteria. An increased level of ASO indicates that the child has had a recent streptococcal infection, which is essential for diagnosing rheumatic fever.

Additionally, elevated levels of inflammatory markers, such as the erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) and C-reactive protein (CRP), can also be present in rheumatic fever; however, the ASO titer specifically confirms the link to previous streptococcal infection. The other options, such as the presence of Reed-Sternberg cells, are associated with other conditions like Hodgkin’s lymphoma, and decreased C-reactive protein levels would not reflect the inflammatory process seen in rheumatic fever. Thus, the elevation of ASO titer is a direct indicator of the underlying streptococcal infection that precip

More practice questions