Rheumatic Heart Disease: a major health problem in El Obeid Hospital, Western Sudan

Amh Elfaki

doi:10.4314/sjms.v2i3.38488

Abstract

Objectives: to reflect on rheumatic heart disease (RHD) as an endemic noncommunicable health problem and to identify the risk factors, the common presenting symptoms and common complications of rheumatic heart disease Patients and methods: This study is a hospital based study done in Elobied Teaching Hospital for 53 patients who were admitted to the medical wards with RHD in the period between January 2006 and December 2006. Results: Females were predominating in the study population 16-40 years (88%). The majority of patients came from rural areas (81%). The common presenting symptoms were those of congestive heart failure while the common reported complications were congestive bacteria endocarditis. Conclusion: RHD is still a major health problem in Kordofan states that require more attention of integrated health services in rural areas.

Highlights

Rheumatic fever is an immunologically mediated connective tissue disease subsequent to infection with group A- beta haemolytic streptococci
Patients belonging to the low socioeconomic class comprise 74%
This can be explained by the fact that the first attack of rheumatic fever usually occurs at the age of 5 to 15 years and more than 50 % of those who suffer from acute rheumatic fever with carditis will later develop chronic rheumatic valvular disease[7]

Summary

Introduction

Rheumatic fever is an immunologically mediated connective tissue disease subsequent to infection with group A- beta haemolytic streptococci. Rheumatic fever and RHD have become uncommon health problems while in third world areas such as India, the middle east, sub-Sahara Africa, rheumatic fever remains the leading cause of heart disease in children and young adults[2].The reasons for the declining incidence of rheumatic fever in the Western world are not entirely clear but in part were probably related to less overcrowding, better sanitation and good living conditions, all of which result in a reduction in infectious diseases in general and streptococcal infection in particular[3]. Elobeid Teaching Hospital is in Kodofan state, middle West of Sudan. It has a wide catch up area including different states (North Kordofan, West Kordofan, South Kordofan, parts of Darfour states).Most of the inhabitants work in agriculture, some are shepherds, and others are manual workers, most of the inhabitants are of low socio-economic classes. This study aimed to assess RHD as a health problem and to identify the risk factors, the common presenting symptoms and common complications of RHD among patients admitted to medical wards in Elobied Teaching Hospital in a period of one year ( January- December 2006)

Objectives

Methods

Findings

Conclusion