CONSENSUS REACHED ON DIAGNOSIS OF RHEUMATIC HEART DISEASE IN DEVELOPING COUNTRIES
About rheumatic heart diseaseRHD is a chronic heart condition that results from rheumatic fever and occurs predominately in poorer populations. With appropriate action RHD can be prevented and controlled. The key to controlling RHD is early diagnosis in its pre-clinical stage, followed by effective delivery of secondary prophylaxis (monthly penicillin injections) to prevent recurrence of rheumatic fever and hence progression of heart disease. With echocardiography (ultrasound) technology it is possible to detect and diagnose cases in its pre-clinical stage that would otherwise go undetected using a stethoscope. Despite the availability of this non-invasive diagnostic tool, until now there had been no international agreement on what echocardiographic features define the minimal diagnostic criteria for RHD. International standardization of echcoardiographic criteria for RHDHeart specialists and physicians from countries most affected by RHD have been working together for over twelve months to develop a standardized approach to echocardiographic diagnosis of RHD via a web-based project. Given the multinational and multi-lingual nature of the expert group, a face-to-face workshop was required for the finalization of the disease criteria. Dr Yingnoi Uboldejpracharak, President of the Heart Association of Thailand, was only too pleased to be able to host and contribute this landmark event. Consensus reached at workshop over echocardiographic criteria for RHD“Globally, we all see slightly different echcoardiographic manifestations of RHD. Established cases are easily identified by all but the challenge has always been to agree on what constitutes the mildest forms of RHD,” said Dr Nigel Wilson from the Starship Children’s Hospital, New Zealand, who is one of the chief investigators of the project. He stated that “the workshop was intense, inclusive, and well-timed and consensus was reached”. Global implication of standardized echocardiographic criteria for RHDDr Jonathan Carapetis, World Heart Federation expert in RHD and Director of the Menzies School of Health Research in Darwin, Australia remarked that “having well-defined disease criteria is a significant step towards RHD disease control. Diagnostic guidelines developed from this workshop will assist physicians around the world in the early detection and treatment of RHD, hence preventing the progression of mild or subclinical heart disease”. | |||||||
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