Mucumbitsi J, Bulwer B, Mutesa L, Ndahindwa V, Semakula M, Rusingiza E, Arya P, Breakey S, Patton-Bolman C, Kaplan EL. Prevalence of rheumatic valvular heart disease in Rwandan school children: echocardiographic evaluation using the World Heart Federation criteria.
Cardiovasc J Afr 2017;
28:285-292. [PMID:
28252675 PMCID:
PMC5730679 DOI:
10.5830/cvja-2017-007]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/21/2017] [Accepted: 01/11/2017] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND
Rheumatic fever (RF) and rheumatic valvular heart disease (RHD) remain important medical, surgical and public health concerns in many parts of the world, especially in sub-Saharan Africa. However, there are no published data from Rwanda. We performed a RHD prevalence study in a randomly selected sample of Rwandan school children using the 2012 World Heart Federation (WHF) criteria.
METHODS
Echocardiographic assessment of 2 501 Rwandan school children from 10 schools in the Gasabo district near Kigali was carried out. Resulting data were evaluated by four experienced echocardiographers. Statistical analyses were carried out by statisticians.
RESULTS
RHD prevalence was 6.8/1 000 children examined (95% CI: 4.2/1 000-10.9/1 000). Seventeen met WHF criteria for RHD, 13 fulfilled criteria for 'borderline' RHD and four were 'definite' RHD. None of these 17 had been previously identified.
CONCLUSION
These data indicate a significant burden of RHD in Rwanda and support a need for defined public health RF control programmes in children there.
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