BACKGROUND: Sydenham's chorea is the most common cause of acquired childhood chorea in Brazil. Thus it is relevant to know how physicians treat those patients. OBJECTIVE: To describe the practice patterns of Sydenham's chorea among pediatricians. METHOD: A descriptive study was undertaken using a questionnaire among specialists and emergency pediatricians who work in public hospitals of Rio de Janeiro district. RESULTS:74% of the physicians informed not to use any severity scale; 81% informed to always prescribe benzatine penicillin; 64% informed to begin pharmacological treatment for all patients; and Haloperidol was the most remembered drug among all physicians. CONCLUSION: Physicians do not use routinely severity scales in follow-up of choreic patients; there is a tendency of irregular prescription of benzatine penicillin by younger doctors; and 28.3% prescribe only haloperidol.
choreatic disorders; rheumatic fever; physician's practice patterns
