Prevalence of rheumatic heart disease in Senegalese school children: a clinical and echocardiographic screening

Abstract

Our study shows a relatively high prevalence of RHD. Reducing its prevalence should focus on the implementation of appropriate policies, targeting at-risk populations and focusing on raising awareness and early detection.

Echocardiographic screening of 4107 Nigerian school children for rheumatic heart disease

“…. This pattern of higher sensitivity of echocardiography in identifying cases of RHD in a screening exercise has equally been reported by several other studies with varying rates . A meta‐analysis of nine studies pooled from different regions of the world including Africa revealed that clinically silent RHD was seven to eight times higher than clinically manifest RHD .…”

“…The mitral valve was the most commonly affected heart valve. This pattern of rheumatic valve disease in children has been widely reported . Mitral regurgitation remains the commonest cardiac pathological finding in children.…”

“…In a multicentre study across six regions in Ethiopia, although cases of definite RHD were slightly more in the urban area, the difference was not significant. On the contrary, some studies have documented significant differences in prevalence of RHD between urban and peri‐urban communities. However, it appears that the actual location is less important as a risk factor for RHD than the characteristics associated with a location such as poverty, inadequate access to health care and poor treatment of streptococcal infections.…”

“…Echocardiographic screening for RHD is superior to clinical screening alone which underestimates the burden of RHD. Since the standardization of criteria for echocardiographic screening of RHD by WHF, several studies have been done on school children in Africa and other regions. There are regional variations in prevalence of RHD as risk factors of the disease are largely socio‐economic in nature.…”

“…There are regional variations in prevalence of RHD as risk factors of the disease are largely socio‐economic in nature. The estimated prevalences of RHD among school children in Africa using the WHF criteria and standard echocardiography have ranged from 11.8/1000 to 44.97/1000 and notably the rates are in the double digits per thousand. Our comparison of studies among school children using echocardiographic screening with WHF consensus criteria in different countries of Africa reveal a lower prevalence of RHD in this study compared to findings from other parts of Africa (Table ).…”