Prevalence, Pattern and Evolution of Rheumatic Heart Disease: About 120 Cases at Mother-Children University Hospital Luxembourg (MC UHL), Bamako (Mali)

Abstract

Introduction: Acute rheumatic fever (ARF) and its complications including rheumatic heart disease (RHD) remain one of the leading causes of cardiovascular disease worldwide. In our setting with no cardiac surgery, data on RHD are therefore important to point out the need for such structure. In this study, we therefore describe rheumatic disease in terms of prevalence, patients’ characteristics and management of patients. Methods: We performed a retrospective study from May to September 2012, involving children aged 3 to 15 years old and seen at the Mother and Child University Hospital Luxembourg (MC UHL). Included were all children diagnosed with RHD. The diagnosis of rheumatic fever (RF) was defined using the revised Jones criteria from 1992 and RHD defined according to the WHO/NIH joint criteria. Data of interview, clinical examination, complementary and those on evolution were recorded. Results: We found an hospital prevalence of 6.2%. Mean age was 15.33 years ± 6.005 (3 to 36), females representing 54.2% and students 70%. Mitral regurgitation (MR), Mitral Stenosis (MS) and concomitant MR + MS were most found RHD with resp. 43.3%, 15% and 13.3%. Complications occurred in 74.1% before surgery. An operative indication was set in 90% of all cases whereas only 36% underwent surgery. After surgery immediate complications were dominated by anemia (11.6%) and late ones by heart failure in 18.5% of cases. Conclusion: Despite advances in medical diagnostic approach and therapeutical progress which partly explained the relatively high prevalence, the evolution of rheumatic heart disease in our context is unfavorable due to the lack of a surgical management structure. While waiting for a cardiology institute, the focus should be on information and awareness in primary prevention.