Rheumatic Fever Rheumatic Heart Disease Research Articles

Long term outcomes in patients with RF/RHD: Eight-year follow-up of HP-RF/RHD (Himachal Pradesh Rheumatic Fever/Rheumatic Heart Disease) registry in a Northern Indian state

BackgroundThe long-term outcome data in patients with rheumatic fever/rheumatic heart disease (RF/RHD) is limited. We report the cumulative incidence of adverse outcomes in a cohort of RHD patients from a northern state of India at a median follow-up of 5.4 years. Methods1714 patients with RF/RHD diagnosed using clinical and echocardiographic criteria were registered from 2011 to 2018, and their baseline clinical characteristics and treatment practices were recorded. Patients were followed up annually for a median of 5.4 years (range 1–8 years) for incident adverse outcomes. The cumulative incidence of adverse composite outcomes, all-cause mortality, hospitalization for heart failure, stroke, and/or peripheral embolism was estimated. The baseline clinical characteristics were explored to identify the potential risk predictors using a multivariate cox proportional hazard model. ResultsThe cumulative incidence of adverse composite outcomes was 17.1% (15.3%–19.0%) at a median follow-up of 5.4 years. The predictors for the adverse composite outcomes (hazard ratio, 95% confidence interval) were age (1.03, 1.02–1.04), education status below primary level (1.60, 1.23–2.05), severe valvular heart disease (1.74, 1.36–2.23), NYHA class III/IV at enrollment (1.56, 1.18–2.07), right heart failure (4.48, 2.85–6.95), history of stroke and/or peripheral embolism (3.7, 1.5–9.2) and mitral balloon valvuloplasty (0.62, 0.40–0.96). ConclusionsThe incidence of adverse outcomes is substantial in patients with RF/RHD. Thus, early detection of high-risk patients and their risk management is needed to improve outcomes.

Gender differences in the epidemiology of Rheumatic Fever/Rheumatic heart disease (RF/RHD) patient population of hill state of northern India; 9 years prospective hospital based, HP-RHD registry

ObjectivesWe report the gender-based differences in the prevalence, severity, pattern of valvular involvement, and complications in patients with Rheumatic Fever/Rheumatic heart disease (RF/RHD). MethodsThe 2475 consecutive patients with RF/RHD diagnosed using clinical and echocardiographic criteria were registered prospectively from January 2011 till December 2019. The association of gender with the pattern of valvular involvement, nature, and severity of valvular dysfunction and cardiovascular complications was analyzed using a logistic regression model, and odds ratios with 95% CI were estimated. ResultsThe mitral and tricuspid valve involvement was significantly lower in the male gender, odds ratio with 95% CI of 0.55 (0.44–0.61), and 0.69 (0.58–0.83) respectively, while the aortic valve was affected more frequently than females, odds ratio 1.36 (1.14–1.62). The severity of valvular disease had no significant association with gender, 0.99 (0.82–1.20). The association between gender and cardiovascular complications, heart failure, stroke, and atrial fibrillations were not statistically significant. The prevalence of RF/RHD was more than two-fold higher in female gender than male (71.4% vs. 29.6%, p < 0.0001). ConclusionsRF/RHD is more prevalent in females. Gender has a significant association with the pattern of valvular involvement. The severity of valvular dysfunction and cardiovascular complications had no significant association with gender.

School-based surveillance for detection of children with acute pharyngitis, rheumatic fever/rheumatic heart disease in Shimla district, Himachal Pradesh, India—A cluster randomized controlled trial

BackgroundThe lack of surveillance system is a major barrier in prevention and control of rheumatic fever/rheumatic heart disease (RF/RHD). Efficacy of school-based surveillance was evaluated for detection of acute pharyngitis and RF/RHD in Shimla district, HP. MethodsThe schools in district Shimla were randomly assigned to intervention and controlled arm (442 vs. 441 schools). The trained nodal teachers reported children with symptoms of acute pharyngitis and or RF/RHD in intervention arm and children taken to hospitals by parents for symptoms of acute pharyngitis and or RF/RHD under control arm through mobile phone to coordinating centre. Final outcome for presence of RF/RHD or other heart Diseases was recorded after examination at nearest primary health centers and/or at Indira Gandhi Medical College Hospital, Shimla. Difference in detection rate between intervention arm and control arm was compared using Z test. ResultsThe number of school children reported from intervention group was significantly higher than in control due to suspected symptoms of acute pharyngitis and or RF/RHD were 65 (2.84/1000) and 15 (0.60/1000), respectively (p < 0.01). Only 4 children in each arm were found to have heart diseases, with prevalence of (0.17/1000 and 0.16/1000), respectively, after clinical and echocardiography evaluation. In intervention arm, one child had RHD while three had congenital heart disease; in control arm, one child had congenital heart disease and three had RHD. ConclusionsSchool based surveillance had higher rate of suspecting children with acute pharyngitis and or RF/RHD although with low specificity. There is a need of future studies to demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed intervention in endemic regions of the state.

Immune response against M protein-conserved region peptides from prevalent group A Streptococcus in a North Indian population.

Group A streptococci (GAS) cause infections with a high prevalence in most developing countries. A GAS vaccine under trial that is based on the amino-terminus of the M protein provides type-specific immunity, and hence seems ineffective in India because of heterogeneous emm types. However, the conserved C-terminal region of the M protein protects against multiple serotypes. In this paper, the immune response generated against the conserved C-repeat region of the M protein was checked in an Indian population to establish their vaccine candidature. When screened for GAS, patients with pharyngitis, rheumatic fever/rheumatic heart disease (RF/RHD), and invasive disease showed heterogeneous emm types, out of which five prevalent types (1-2, 11, 49, 75 and 112) were selected for the study. The C-terminal region of their M proteins showed conserved C1-, C2-, and C3-repeats. The C1-repeat was more diverse and had two different J14-like sequences. Peptides to these C-terminal regions (J14.1 and J14-R6) were designed. Antibodies against these peptides were analyzed using the sera of 130 GAS-infected volunteers. Serum antibodies were significantly higher in patients with acute rheumatic fever, RHD, and invasive disease than in patients with pharyngitis or the healthy controls. The serum antibodies to these peptides was higher in teenagers and adults than in children. Results showed an association between streptococcal disease progression and the age-related development of immunity to the conserved regions. Hence, these peptides could be considered protective in impeding streptococcal infections worldwide.

Rheumatic fever and rheumatic heart disease: Primary prevention is the cost effective option

To measure the economic output/input ratios for the various options of prevention of rheumatic fever/rheumatic heart disease (RF/RHD) and check the viability of primary prevention vis-à-vis secondary and tertiary preventions. Cost accounting of the various prevention options was calculated for each variable as available in literature. Actual data as obtainable for the financial year ending March 2006 were computed for the Pondicherry population. Both direct and indirect costs (including community/social costs) were worked out using mostly primary data and wherever necessary, secondary data. Certain scientific assumptions were used where exact data was not available. Primary prevention is the definite viable economic option (1:1.56) compared to secondary (1: 1.07) and tertiary (1: 0.12) preventions. In fact, the current stress on only secondary and tertiary preventions is found to be economically unviable. It is postulated that primary prevention as a practical policy in tackling RF and RHD can be recommended.

Clinical score card for diagnosis of group A streptococcal sore throat.

Group A beta hemolytic streptococcus (GAS) sore throat primarily occurs among children in 5-15 years age group, and if not treated appropriately causes rheumatic fever/rheumatic heart disease (RF/RHD). Present study was aimed at validation of a clinical scoring system for diagnosis of GAS. Five hundred and thirty six children in 5-15 years age group were enrolled by systematic random selection of households from a peri-urban slum of Chandigarh. They were visited fortnightly at their home for one year to record signs and symptoms of cough and cold. Throat swabs were collected in 918 episodes, of which 123 (13.4%) were GAS culture positive. Significant association of GAS was found with pain in the throat, enlarged tonsils, pharyngeal erythema and tender cervical lymphadenopathy. According to the percentage positivity of GAS culture, weighted scores were assigned to age of the child, season of occurrence, fever, size of tonsil, pharyngeal erythema and exudate, lymphadenopathy and pain in throat. Combinations of various symptoms and signs gave sensitivity of 86-89% and specificity of 83-89% whereas clinical score of 15 or more had 91% sensitivity and 98% specificity for diagnosis of GAS pharyngitis. As the level of clinical acumen and prevalence of GAS may differ in different primary care settings of the country, the proposed scoring system should be validated and adapted to suit local conditions before establishing it in the primary prophylaxis strategy to prevention of RF/RHD.

Rheumatic B-cell Markers in Rheumatic Fever/Rheumatic Heart Disease (RF/RHD) Patients: Specificity Associated with Ethnicity. † 119

Recent evidence from our laboratories and from others has suggested the ability of monoclonal antibodies (MAb) against a human B lymphocyte alloantigen to discriminate between RF/RHD susceptible individuals and persons with a lower risk of developing RF. However, while such MAb can identify a majority of RF/RHD patients in some populations, reduced discriminatory ability has been observed in other groups. Antigenic variation in the marker(s) may exist among ethnic groups which can adversely influence the specificity of the test. To examine this possibility, we developed MAb made from B lymphocytes of North Indian ethnic origin. In the same population we compared a new MAb (PGI/MN II) with a previously described MAb of Caucasian ethnic origin (D8/17). The results indicate significantly (p<0.0001) greater discriminating ability of this new MAb for patients with RF/RHD in the North Indian population and support our hypothesis.