This Article  • References  • Full text PDF  • Send to a friend  • Save in My Folder  • Save to citation manager  • Permissions  Citing Articles  • Citation map  • Citing articles on HighWire  • Contact me when this article is cited  Related Content  • Similar articles in JAMA  Social Bookmarking   What's this?

Its Increased Incidence in the Elderly

Taylor A. Prewitt, MD

JAMA. 1970;211(4):637-639.

Abstract
Fifty-six patients with aortic insufficiency, presumably syphilitic in origin, were encountered among 345 patients with a history of syphilis in a municipal clinic and hospital population. Little physical handicap and relative longevity characterized the involved patients. Of the syphilitic patients, 33% (9 of 27) of those over 70 years of age had aortic insufficiency, while only 7% (5 of 70) of those under 70 years of age were so involved. The venereal disease research laboratory test for syphilis was nonreactive in 30% (17) of these patients, whereas the more sensitive fluorescent treponemal antibody-absorption test was nonreactive in only 1.9% (1 of 53) of those with aortic insufficiency.

Author Affiliations
From the Venereal Disease Program, National Communicable Disease Center, Health Services and Mental Health Administration, Public Health Service, Atlanta. Dr. Prewitt is now with the Cooper Clinic, Fort Smith, Ark.

Footnotes
Reprint requests to 100 S 14th St, Fort Smith, Ark 72901.

CiteULike    Connotea    Del.icio.us    Digg    Reddit    Technorati    Twitter     What's this?

THIS ARTICLE HAS BEEN CITED BY OTHER ARTICLES

Syphilis Serology Today
Felman and Nikitas
Arch Dermatol 1980;116:84-89.
ABSTRACT