Background: Despite Rheumatic Heart Disease (RHD) contributing to an estimated disease burden in 2019 of 40 million people and 285 500 deaths, few studies document the characteristics and outcomes in children. We undertook a sub-analysis of children from the multi-centre prospective two-year global Rheumatic Heart Disease Registry (REMEDY) to document their presentation, clinical characteristics and outcomes. Methods: Nine-hundred and twenty-one children were enrolled into the REMEDY registry among the 3,343 symptomatic RHD patients from 25 hospitals in 12 African countries, India and Yemen and followed up over 24 months to assess characteristics, complications and outcome. Results: More than half of the children enrolled in the REMEDY study presented with severe valvular heart disease; 60% had more than one valve involved, 30% were classified as NYHA class III/IV and 17.7% died within 24 months. Just over 20% of children were not on penicillin prophylaxis. Although 20% met criteria for surgery, only less than 9% (n=78, 8.5%) had had percutaneous or surgical intervention with half from upper-middle-income countries. The major risk factors associated with mortality included older age (Hazard Ratio (HR): 1.01, p=0.001) and atrial fibrillation or flutter (HR: 2.3, p=0.028). Female gender(HR: 0.68, p=0.062) and education level above primary school (HR: 0.88, p=0.68) did not confer significant protection. However, a past medical history of ARF conferred some protection against mortality (HR: 0.61, p=0.031). In follow-up, 30% (n=238, 29.6%) of children experienced an adverse cardiovascular event, nearly 15% (n=114, 14.1%) were hospitalised and six young women became pregnant during the study period. Conclusion: Children with RHD in low- and middle-income countries are severely affected, with significant mortality and morbidity. The use of penicillin was suboptimal and the substantial need for surgery is evident. Our findings support the recommendations of the World Health Assembly (WHA) Resolution 71.14 passed in May 2018 for consistent provision of penicillin, integrated collaborative efforts focused on children and adolescent health as well as access to specialised services including cardiac surgery.

Includes bibliographical references / Rheumatic Heart Disease (RHD) is a leading cause of heart disease in children and young adults in the developing world, with significant associated morbidity and mortality. Early secondary prophylaxis may retard the deleterious progression from its antecedent, acute rheumatic fever to permanent heart valve damage, and thus several echocardiographic screening programmes to detect asymptomatic RHD and institute early prophylaxis have been conducted. While effective interventions are available for ameliorating the effects of RHD, research on their use in different settings is scant. Key questions remain regarding the natural history of asymptomatic RHD and the optimal method for early detection. In addition, there is a lack of contemporary estimates of mortality and morbidity among the symptomatic population in the developing world. The primary purpose of the thesis was to determine the outcomes of asymptomatic and symptomatic RHD. More specifically, I sought to quantify the incidence, prevalence and outcomes of RHD in South Africa over the past two decades, determine the natural history of asymptomatic RHD and validate a focused protocol for screening in schoolchildren from Cape Town. In addition, I determined the baseline characteristics, prevalent sequelae and gaps in evidence-based implementation in children and adults from14 developing countries. Finally, I investigated the independent predictors for mortality and morbidity of RHD over a two-year period in patients from Cape Town, South Africa. My thesis has five key findings. Firstly, a systematic review of the literature showed that the incidence and prevalence of RHD over the past two decades in South Africa remains high, although there is evidence of falling cause-specific mortality at a population level. Secondly, asymptomatic RHD has a variable natural history that ranges from regression to a normal state, to persistence of disease, and progression to symptomatic RHD. Thirdly, a focused hand-held echocardiography protocol shows promising levels of sensitivity and specificity for detecting subclinical RHD. Fourthly, the baseline data from the global rheumatic heart disease registry demonstrates significant gaps in the implementation of medical and surgical interventions of proven effectiveness in low- and middle-income countries. Finally, the annual mortality rate for children and adults with RHD in Cape Town over a two-year period is 4.1%with cardiovascular events occurring at a rate of 0.18 events per patient per year. The findings encapsulated in this thesis have important implications for policy, practice and research related to the management of asymptomatic and symptomatic RHD in the world.

Rheumatic heart disease is an inflammatory heart disease that affects millions of people around the world. Especially high rates of the disease can be found in Oceania, including the island nation of Samoa. Genetic studies of immune response genes have provided insight into a possible genetic link to increased susceptibility to rheumatic heart disease, including the genes that code for the toll-like receptor (TLR) protein family. One of the functions of TLR proteins is to recognize the presence of bacteria via identification of bacterial flagella. My evaluation of a Samoan family identified a variant in the TLR-5 gene that would inhibit this ability. However, further study showed this variant to not be statistically significant in relation to rheumatic heart disease susceptibility. My contribution to a regional genome-wide association study of Oceania resulted in the discovery of a variant in the IGHV4-61 gene affecting the ability of antibodies to properly bind to bacterial antigens. This variant was associated with a 1.4-fold increased risk of rheumatic heart disease development. The success of this study warrants further investigation of the IGHV4-61 variant in other populations and illustrates the benefits of utilizing a genome-wide association study to study rheumatic heart disease.

Dissertation submitted to the University of the Witwatersrand, in partial fulfilment of an MSc in Child Health. Johannesburg 1997 / AC2017

Tez (Tıpta Uzmanlık) - Süleyman Demirel Üniversitesi, Tıp Fakültesi, Kardiyoloji Anabilim Dalı, 2003. / Bibliyografya var.

La cardiopathie rhumatismale (CR) demeure la première cause de cardiopathie acquise chez les enfants et les jeunes adultes à travers le Monde. L'essor de l'échographie cardiaque comme outils de dépistage dans les zones endémiques pose de nouvelles questions. Trois études indépendantes ont été menées en Nouvelle Calédonie dans le cadre de la thèse de 2011 à 2013: " L'étude de cohorte rétrospective en population a évalué une campagne de dépistage national de la CR par échocardiographie visant à inclure tous les enfants scolarisés en classe de CM1 sur l'île de 2008 à 2011. Les méthodes diagnostiques complexes utilisées en recherche ne peuvent être transposées en campagnes de dépistage écho-guidées à l'échelle nationale en raison du nombre élevé d'enfants (~25%) sans diagnostic final. Le pronostic de la CR asymptomatique dépistée par échographie est bénin à moyen terme, quoique les lésions échographiques persistent dans la majorité des cas. Environ 13% des enfants initialement sains présentent des anomalies échocardiographiques à 2 ans de suivi. " Une étude prospective en population a exploré des méthodes simplifiées de dépistage à l'aide de l'échoscopie cardiaque avec des appareils de poche par du personnel paramédical. La sensibilité et la spécificité de cette approche permet de dépister ~80% des cas, avec une sensibilité de ~90% dans le cadre de CR certaine, seul cas de figure où un traitement est nécessaire. " Une cohorte hospitalière contemporaine de patients admis à l'unique centre du pays a permis d'apporter des données épidémiologiques de la CR symptomatique, et d'identifier les facteurs associés à la survenue d'événements cardiovasculaires. Le diagnostic y est encore souvent porté à un stade tardif, révélé par des complications (~25%). Le taux de survie à 8 ans de la CR symptomatique sans complication initiale est élevé (~98%) mais l’incidence annuelle d’événements atteint 59‰ (95% CI 44.35-73.75). La sévérité de la CR au diagnostic (CR moyenne versus modérée HR 3.39 (0.95 – 12.12); CR sévère versus modérée HR 10.81 (3.11 – 37.62), p<0.001) et l’antibioprophylaxie (HR 0.27 (0.12-0.63), p=0.01) sont les deux facteurs associés à la survenue d’événements cardiovasculaires. / Rheumatic heart disease (RHD) remains the leading acquired heart disease in the young worldwide. The advent of echocardiography as a screening tool has raised new questions in the field. This thesis incorporated three studies to explore critical questions regarding the burden of asymptomatic and symptomatic RHD in New Caledonia (2011-2013): Retrospective population-based cohort study assessing the first nationwide echo-screening campaign targeting all children in 4th grade (2008-2011). Methods derived from research may not be applicable as a healthcare policy given the lack of completeness (~25%). Outcomes of children with asymptomatic RHD detected by echocardiography are benign although the majority of valve lesions persist with little clinical implications. RHD being a dynamic condition, 13% of children at high risk of RHD with normal baseline echocardiograms may present with mild echocardiographic lesions at 2 years follow-up. Prospective population-based study assessing sensitivity and specificity to detect asymptomatic RHD of a focused cardiac ultrasound (FCU) compared to echocardiography. FCU includes nurses after a short training scheme using pocket-echocardiographic machines and simplified criteria. Sensitivity and specificity for RHD detection was of ~80% and performed better (sensitivity ~90%) when restricted to definite RHD in which case treatment is recommended. Retrospective hospital-based cohort of patients admitted with symptomatic RHD. RHD remains prevalent and incident. Diagnosis if often made at an advanced stage (~25%). In patients with uncomplicated RHD, the survival rate was ~96% at 8 years with however an annual incidence of 59.05‰ (95% CI 44.35-73.75) major cardiovascular events. The severity of RHD at diagnosis (moderate vs. mild HR 3.39 (0.95 – 12.12); severe vs. mild RHD HR 10.81 (3.11 – 37.62), p<0.001), and ongoing secondary prophylaxis at follow-up (HR 0.27 (0.12-0.63), p=0.01) were the two most influential factors associated with major cardiovascular events.

The group A beta-haemolytic streptococcus is known to be the aetiologic agent in acute rheumatic fever, but the exact pathogenesis remains obscure. A review of the histopathology of the Aschoff body suggests that the cardiac pathology is a granulomatous hypersensitivity reaction. However the streptococcus has not been found in the lesions, and the agent responsible for the granuloma has not yet been identified. Circulating immune complexes have previously been measured in some children with acute rheumatic fever. The normal or raised complement components measured by some workers in acute rheumatic fever suggests that the immune complexes may not be complement fixing. Considering that the usual assays for measuring immune complexes depend on complement fixation, the failure of the immune complexes to fix complement might produce false negative results. A physical, non-complement fixing assay (polyethylene glycol precipitation - PEG), was therefore used to measure circulating immune complexes. Results were expressed as total IgG precipitated (g/L), or as a percentage of serum IgG. Immune complexes were also measured by two complement dependent assays, a Clq binding assay (ClqBA), and conglutinin binding assay (CBA). Complexes were assayed in 15 children with acute rheumatic carditis (ARC), 11 with non-active, chronic rheumatic heart disease (CRHD), 13 with acute poststreptococcal glomerulonephritis (APSGN), and 15 normal children and adults (NORMAL). Total haemolytic complement, complement components as well as the complement breakdown product C3d, were measured.

A Febre Reumática, complicação tardia de uma infecção de orofaringe causada pelo Streptococcus pyogenes (estreptococo -hemolítico do grupo A de Lancefield), tem como conseqüência a Cardiopatia Reumática, explicada pelo mimetismo molecular entre proteínas cardíacas humanas e a associação de proteínas e carboidratos da membrana do S. pyogenes. A profilaxia secundária com a PGB 1.200.000 UI IM propõe-se a evitar novos surtos, sendo administrada em intervalos de vinte e um dias nos países com alto índice de estreptococcia. A lesão valvar predispõe à Endocardite Infecciosa, que resulta de bacteriemias causadas por focos infecciosos de origem bucal em cerca de 40% dos casos. Os Streptococcus Viridans constituem o grupo mais comumente encontrado nas Endocardites Infecciosas, em especial os Streptococcus sanguinis e Streptococcus oralis. O efeito do uso crônico da PGB não foi estudado com especificidade para essa microbiota. Assim, foi avaliada, qualitativa e quantitativamente, a microbiota bucal de 100 pacientes, aos 7 e 21 dias, após profilaxia secundária para a Febre Reumática com a PGB 1.200.000 UI IM e comparada com a de 100 pacientes portadores de doença arterial coronariana sem antecedentes de Febre Reumática. As espécies avaliadas foram divididas em S. sanguinis, S. oralis e outras espécies de Streptococcus Viridans Foram coletadas amostras de saliva pela mastigação de goma de parafina e transportadas em meio VMGA II S. As culturas foram semeadas em ágar Columbia CNA com 5% de sangue desfibrinado puro de carneiro com acréscimo de penicilina G. e incubadas a 35ºC em estufa de CO2 por 72 horas. As colônias sugestivas de Streptococcus foram submetidas a testes bioquímicos para confirmação de gênero e espécie. A concentração inibitória mínima foi determinada pelo método Etest e interpretada segundo os padrões do Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute. Não houve diferença quanto à presença do S. sanguinis nos grupos estudados (P=0,40). O S. oralis prevaleceu aos 7 dias de PGB em relação ao grupo controle (P=0,01). Quanto à identificação de outras espécies, houve maior número de cepas nos pacientes do grupo controle quando comparados aos do grupo de estudo aos 7 e 21 dias de PGB (P<0,001). Os números de UFC/ml de S. sanguinis, S. oralis e de outras espécies foram comparados entre os grupos e não houve diferença entre eles (P=0,96; P=0,60 e P=0,77; respectivamente). Quanto às CIM do S. sanguinis e do S. oralis, não houve diferença entre os grupos (P=0,79 e P=0,13; respectivamente). Todos os testes estatísticos foram realizados em um nível de significância de 5%. Concluiu-se que o S. oralis prevaleceu aos 7 dias de PGB 1.200.000 UI IM; os Streptococcus Viridans de outras espécies prevaleceram no grupo controle; o número de UFC/mL de saliva não diferiu nos grupos estudados, a susceptibilidade dos S. sanguinis e S. oralis à penicilina G não foi alterada pela ação da PGB 1.200.000 UI IM a cada 21 dias e, por fim, a PGB não provocou reações de hipersensibilidade em nenhum paciente do estudo / Rheumatic fever is the result of a Streptococcus pyogenes (group A -hemolytic Streptococcus) infection of the upper respiratory tract. Rheumatic heart disease is a rheumatic fever consequence and is elucidated by the molecular mimicry between human cardiac proteins and group A streptococcal proteins and carbohydrates association. The secondary prophylaxis with 1,200,000 U BPG every three weeks is used for prevention of recurrent rheumatic fever in developing countries. Valvar defects are a risk for infective endocarditis which is resulted of bacteriemia caused for oral infectious focuses in 40% of cases. Viridans streptococci are the predominant group recovered in infective endocarditis, specially Streptococcus sanguinis and Streptococcus oralis. The effect of chronic BPG wasnt studied with specificity to these pathogens yet. Therefore, the oral microbiota was evaluated, qualitatively and quantitatively, at 7 and 21 days after secondary prophylaxis with BPG to rheumatic fever (study group), in a hundred patients and in comparison to another hundred patients with coronary heart disease who never acquired rheumatic fever (control group). The species evaluated were divided in S. sanguinis, S. oralis and another Streptococcus species. It was collected samples of chewing-stimulated saliva (1ml) and transported in VMGA II S medium. The samples were cultured in pure and with penicillin G 5% sheep blood Columbia ágar (CNA), incubated for 72 hours in an atmosphere containing 5% CO2 at 35ºC. The strains that were suggestive to Streptococcus were identified by biochemical tests to confirm bacteria species and genus. Minimal inhibitory concentration was determined by Etest method and interpreted in accordance to Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute. The results showed that there was no difference in S. sanguinis presence in all groups (P=0.40). S. oralis prevailed in 7 days BPG group in comparison to control group (P=0.01). The control group showed the highest number of others species in comparison to 7 and 21 days BPG (P<0.001). CFU/ml numbers of S. sanguinis, S. oralis and other species strains were compared in 7 and 21 days BPG to control group and there was no difference among themselves (P=0.96, P=0.60 and P=0.77; respectively). There was no difference in S. sanguinis and S. oralis MICs among the study and control groups (P=0.79 and P=0.13). All statistic tests were done at 5% significance level. It was concluded that S. oralis prevailed in 7 days BPG group in comparison to control group; other species of Viridans streptococci prevailed in control group. The number of CFU/mL did not differ in both studied groups; the penicillin susceptibility of S. sanguinis and S. oralis did not change by BPG every three weeks and, by the end, it was not observed hypersensitivity reactions to penicillin in neither of the patients of this study

Microorganismos da cavidade oral têm sido admitidos como causadores de doenças sistêmicas com reconhecido mecanismo de disseminação via corrente sangüínea. Diferentes fatores, incluindo a presença da doença periodontal, têm influência no risco de bacteremia oral, podendo ocasionar endocardite infecciosa por Streptococcus viridans. Sendo assim, a manutenção da saúde bucal adquire elevado grau de importância em gestantes portadoras de doença valvar reumática, em que o risco de endocardite infecciosa é eminente. A escassez científica fez deste tema o objetivo deste estudo: investigar a condição clínica periodontal de gestantes portadoras de cardiopatia valvar, identificando agentes periodontopatógenos nas amostras coletadas de saliva, sulco/bolsa periodontal, Para tanto, foram estudadas 52 gestantes cardiopatas (GC) e 70 gestantes não-cardiopatas (GNC). A condição periodontal foi avaliada empregando-se profundidade clínica de sondagem (PCS), nível clínico de inserção (NCI), linha esmalte cemento/margem gengival (LEC/MG), índice de sangramento (IS) e índice de placa bacteriana (IP). As seguintes médias foram obtidas para os parâmetros periodontais avaliados: PCS: 1.52 (GC) e 1.45 (GNC); NCI: 1.13 (GC) e 1.02 (GNC); LEC/MG: 0.41 (GC) e 0.40 (GNC); IS: 7.34 (GC) e 6.27 (GNC) e IP: 12.19 (GC) e 13.48 (GNC). Não houve diferença entre os grupos para o NCI (p= 0,612). A presença da Porphyromonas gingivalis na saliva foi maior (p= 0,007) no GNC, porém não houve diferença nas amostras de sulco/bolsa periodontal. / Microorganisms of the oral cavity are known to cause systemic diseases, spread through sanguine current. Different factors, including the presence of periodontal disease, influencing the risk of oral bacteremia could cause infectious endocarditis for Streptococcus viridans. Nevertheless, the maintenance of the oral health is extremely important in pregnant women with rheumatic valvar disease, in which the risk of infectious endocarditis is eminent. The aim of this study was to investigate the clinical periodontal condition of pregnant women with valvar disease and to identify the presence of Porphyromonas gingivalis in saliva and subgingival samples. For these purposes, we studied 52 pregnant with valvar disease (GC) and 70 healthy pregnant women (GNC). The following periodontal parameters were evaluated: probing depth (PCS), clinical attachment level (NCI), gingival margin location (LEC/MG), bleeding on probing (IS) and plaque index (IP). The following mean periodontal parameters were obtained: PCS: 1.52 (GC) e 1.45 (GNC); NCI: 1.13 (GC) e 1.02 (GNC); LEC/MG: 0.41 (GC) e 0.40 (GNC); IS: 7.34 (GC) e 6.27 (GNC) e IP: 12.19 (GC) e 13.48 (GNC). There was no statistical difference for NCI among the groups. There was no difference between periodontal clinical conditions in pregnant women with valvar disease and healthy pregnant women. The presence of the Porphyromonas gingivalis in saliva samples of healthy pregnant women is statistically higher than in pregnant woman with valvar disease; however, there was no difference in periodontal samples

O estudo tem por objetivo compreender o movimento entre sentir-se saudável e sentir-se doente nos diferentes modos de andar a vida de crianças e adolescentes com febre reumática e cardiopatia reumática. O recorte do objeto foi elaborado a partir das discussões sobre: a doença crônica e condição crônica, febre reumática e cardiopatia como doenças crônicas específicas e particularidades da condição crônica gerada pela febre reumática e pela cardiopatia reumática em crianças e adolescentes. O quadro teórico teve como base a discussão teórico-epistemológica do processo saúde-doença para a aproximação de uma outra discussão central, a fronteira entre o normal e o patológico. Os participantes foram crianças e adolescentes com febre reumática e cardiopatia reumática atendidos no Ambulatório de Cardiologia Pediátrica de um hospital universitário de Cuiabá- MT e suas mães. A coleta de dados ocorreu por meio da análise de documentos e da entrevista aberta que se efetivou no hospital, na residência e no local de trabalho. Os resultados e discussão deram origem a cinco temas: 1. Apresentação dos participantes: uma breve história, no qual se descreve como se conformou o curso da febre reumática e da cardiopatia reumática; 2. Contexto da assistência à criança e ao adolescente, no qual se evidenciou a produção de cuidados baseada no modelo clínico especializado e a fragmentação da assistência; 3. Noções sobre a febre reumática e a cardiopatia reumática segundo os participantes, no qual surge um saber fragmentado, com noções ora do modelo etiológico endógeno ora do modelo etiológico ontológico. 4. Repercussão da condição crônica gerada pela febre reumática e pela cardiopatia reumática na vida de crianças e adolescentes, no qual se discorre sobre a trajetória e as repercussões dessa condição crônica mostrando as dificuldades relacionadas aos sintomas, à hospitalização, à escola, às limitações, aos amigos, às brincadeiras, aos jogos e às particularidades da adolescência. 5. O movimento entre sentir-se saudável e sentir-se doente, no qual surgem situações que impõem normas de tratamento e evidencia que o modo de andar a vida dos participantes se baseia em diferentes normalidades, que influenciam, ou não, a adesão ao tratamento. A partir dessas situações surgem conflitos entre sentir-se saudável e ser classificado como doente. Nas considerações finais sugere-se a discussão junto aos profissionais de saúde e nas instituições formadoras sobre os princípios do SUS nos diferentes níveis da atenção à saúde, como forma de amenizar a fragmentação da assistência; a necessidade de trabalhar com o gerenciamento da condição crônica, sempre buscando conhecer as diferentes normalidades que fundamentam o modo de andar a vida de crianças e adolescente, considerando que as normas ditadas pelos profissionais de saúde não são as únicas que permeiam suas vidas e, por fim, a busca de estratégias para o fortalecimento de crianças, adolescentes em condição crônica e suas famílias, como maneira de ampliar a compreensão delas sobre a própria condição crônica para que as normas ditadas pelos profissionais de saúde sejam aceitas não por crença, mas por compreensão de que podem ampliar o leque de possibilidades de ser feliz. / This study aims at knowing the idea between feeling healthy and feeling ill in the different ways of children and teenager’s lives, with rheumatic fever and rheumatic heart disease. This study issue was made based on the discussions about: the chronic disease and the chronic condition, rheumatic fever and heart disease as chronic and specific diseases and particularities of the chronic condition generated by the rheumatic fever and by the rheumatic heart disease in the children and teenagers’ lives. The theoretical chart was based on a theoretical-epistemological discussion of the heath-disease process to get to another central discussion, the frontier between the normal and the pathological. The participants were children and teenagers who had rheumatic fever and rheumatic heart disease cared in the Policlinic of the Pediatric Cardiology of a university hospital in Cuiabá-MT and their mothers. The data were collected through the analysis of documents and open interviews which happened in the hospital, in the households and in their work. The results and discussion gave rise to five themes: 1. Presentation of the participants: a brief historical part in which it is described how the rheumatic fever and the rheumatic heart disease were confirmed in their lives; 2. The context of assistance to the children and the teenagers, in which the production of care based on the specialized clinical model and the fragmentation of the assistance was shown. 3. Notions about rheumatic fever and the rheumatic heart disease, in which a fragmented knowledge appears, sometimes with notions of the endogenous etiologic model and sometimes with notions of the ontological etiologic model. 4. Effects of the chronic condition brought by the rheumatic fever and by the rheumatic heart disease in the children and teenagers’ way of living, in which the trajectory and the effects of this chronic condition is discussed, showing the problems related to the symptoms, hospitalization, school classes, limitations, friends, children’s play, games and the particularities of the adolescence period. 5. The idea between feeling healthy and feeling ill, when there are situations that impose rules for treatment and highlights that the way the participants live, is based on a different kind of normality, which influence or not, the adhesionto the treatment. From these situations, other conflicts arise between feeling healthy and being classified as ill. In the final considerations, the discussion with the health professionals and in the institutions that teach about the principles of SUS in the different levels of the health care is suggested as a way of easing the assistance fragmentation; the need of working with the chronic condition, always trying to know the different kinds of normality which explain the children and teenagers’ way of living considering that the rules set up by the health professionals are not the only ones that permeate their lives and, finally, the search for strategies for the children and teenagers’ strengthening with a chronic condition and their families, as a way of widening their understanding about their chronic condition so that the rules established by the health professionals are accepted not by belief but by understanding that they can enlarge the possibilities of being happy.