Rheumatic Valvulopathy in Sub-Saharan Africa: A Cross-Sectional Study of Cameroonian Urban Schools.

IF 3 3区医学 Q2 CARDIAC & CARDIOVASCULAR SYSTEMS

Global Heart Pub Date : 2025-03-27 eCollection Date: 2025-01-01 DOI:10.5334/gh.1414

Chris Nadège Nganou-Gnindjio, Anicet Gakdang Ladibe, Joël Marie Obama Nyaga, Sandrine Laure Ngambono, Loic Alban Tasong, Jules Thierry Elong, Hursul Geffried Nzongang, Félicité Kamdem, David Chelo

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引用次数: 0

Abstract

Background: Rheumatic heart disease is a post-infectious sequelae of acute rheumatic fever resulting from an abnormal immune response to streptococcal pharyngitis that triggers valvular damage. It is the most commonly acquired heart disease in children, particularly in developing countries.

Objective: This study aimed to describe rheumatic valvulopathy among schoolchildren and adolescents in Yaoundé, Cameroon.

Methods: A cross-sectional echocardiography study was conducted from December 2022 to May 2023 among students aged 5 to 19 in primary and secondary schools in Yaoundé, Cameroon. All students with informed parental consent and who agreed to participate in the study were included. The data collected were entered and analysed using SPSS statistics software version 23.0. The association between the qualitative variables was verified using Odd-Ratio with a 95% confidence interval and a significance level of 5%.

Results: Of the 1020 children recruited, 133 (13.03%) had rheumatic heart disease with a mean age of 11.69 ± 4.09 years. The sex ratio (M/F) was 0.56. Most of the participants lived in urban slums (60.9%). Cardiac murmurs were detected in 23 (17.3%) participants during auscultation, with the majority (78.3%) being located at the mitral focus. The definitive form of rheumatic heart disease was observed in 69 (51.9%) children. Mitral involvement was observed in all participants. Mitral valve abnormalities were primarily characterized by mitral insufficiency in 124 (93.2%) participants, valvular thickening (74.4%), and restriction of movement (42.9%). Age between 10 and 14 years [OR = 2.36; CI = (1.11-5.01)] and residence in urban slums [OR = 2.14; CI = (1.05-4.36)] were significantly associated with an increase in the occurrence of definitive rheumatic valve disease.

Conclusion: Rheumatic heart disease is common among schoolchildren in this setting. It systematically affects the mitral valve. The clinical presentation is usually silent at first.

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来源期刊

Global Heart Medicine-Cardiology and Cardiovascular Medicine

CiteScore

5.70

自引率

5.40%

发文量

审稿时长

5 weeks

期刊介绍： Global Heart offers a forum for dialogue and education on research, developments, trends, solutions and public health programs related to the prevention and control of cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) worldwide, with a special focus on low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). Manuscripts should address not only the extent or epidemiology of the problem, but also describe interventions to effectively control and prevent CVDs and the underlying factors. The emphasis should be on approaches applicable in settings with limited resources. Economic evaluations of successful interventions are particularly welcome. We will also consider negative findings if important. While reports of hospital or clinic-based treatments are not excluded, particularly if they have broad implications for cost-effective disease control or prevention, we give priority to papers addressing community-based activities. We encourage submissions on cardiovascular surveillance and health policies, professional education, ethical issues and technological innovations related to prevention. Global Heart is particularly interested in publishing data from updated national or regional demographic health surveys, World Health Organization or Global Burden of Disease data, large clinical disease databases or registries. Systematic reviews or meta-analyses on globally relevant topics are welcome. We will also consider clinical research that has special relevance to LMICs, e.g. using validated instruments to assess health-related quality-of-life in patients from LMICs, innovative diagnostic-therapeutic applications, real-world effectiveness clinical trials, research methods (innovative methodologic papers, with emphasis on low-cost research methods or novel application of methods in low resource settings), and papers pertaining to cardiovascular health promotion and policy (quantitative evaluation of health programs.