Estimates of the global burden of rheumatic heart disease
Open accessAbstract
In this review, we make the case that currently available figures used to define the global burden of acute rheumatic fever and rheumatic heart disease, although crucial to control efforts, are imperfect. Data have been hindered by methodological differences between studies, by patchy coverage within countries and across regions, and by an incomplete understanding of the relationship between echocardiographic detection of asymptomatic mild disease and progression to symptomatic disease. We argue that in order to advocate effectively for patients with rheumatic heart disease now and into the future, true burden of disease estimates on local, national, and international levels are urgently required. We critically review previous burden of disease estimates and outline the issues in defining the "true" burden of rheumatic heart disease, and we propose a new model for rheumatic heart disease epidemiologic studies. This is of particular relevance in 2012 with an ever-increasing burden of cardiovascular disease globally.
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Rheumatic heart disease is a major source of morbidity and mortality in LMICs.
“Though uncommon in high-income countries and likely underreported in low-income ones, rheumatic heart disease (RHD) is a major source of morbidity and mortality in LMICs (49).”
From Tele-Ultrasound in Resource-Limited Settings: A Systematic Review (2019) · cites this paper as [49]
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Tele-Ultrasound in Resource-Limited Settings: A Systematic Review
Britton, N., Miller, M. A., Safadi, S., Siegel, A., Levine, A. R., & McCurdy, M. T. (2019) · Frontiers in Public Health · doi:10.3389/fpubh.2019.00244 · Cited by 166 · see citing works
“The potential impacts of tele-ultrasound in LMICs are substantial with regard to the scope and breadth of both the Frontiers in Public Health | www.frontiersin.org 10 September 2019 | Volume 7 | Article 244 Britton et al. Tele-Ultrasound in Resource-Limited Settings numerous clinical areas (e.g., respiratory failure,…”
BackgroundInfluentialRheumatic heart disease echocardiographic screening: approaching practical and affordable solutions
Nascimento, B. R., Nunes, M. C. P., Lopes, E. L. V., Rezende, V. M. L. R., Landay, T., Ribeiro, A. L. P., Sable, C., & Beaton, A. Z. (2016) · Heart · doi:10.1136/heartjnl-2015-308635 · Cited by 43 · see citing works
- Authors
- Zühlke, L. J., & Steer, A. C.
- Affiliations
- Royal Children's Hospital (AU)
- Corresponding author
- Steer, Andrew C.
- ORCID
- Steer, Andrew C.
- Venue
- Global Heart
- Publisher
- Ubiquity Press, Ltd.
- Published
- 2013-09-01
- Volume
- 8
- Issue
- 3
- Pages
- 189
- ISSN
- 2211-8160 (ISSN-L)
- 2211-8179
- OpenAlex
- W2038302785
- Cited by
- 115
- References
- 54
- Citations by year
- 2026: 6 · 2025: 5 · 2024: 6 · 2023: 8 · 2022: 13 · 2021: 10 · 2020: 5 · 2019: 9 · 2018: 10 · 2017: 14 · 2016: 14 · 2015: 7 · 2014: 8
- FWCI
- 9.91
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- es
- Open access
- hybrid
- doi.org
- Licence
- Locations
- Global Heart (publishedVersion, cc-by)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health › Streptococcal Infections and Treatments
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Cardiology and Cardiovascular Medicine › Cardiovascular Health and Risk Factors
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Epidemiology › Infective Endocarditis Diagnosis and Management
- Keywords
- rheumatic heart disease, acute rheumatic fever, global burden of disease, disease burden estimation, disease progression, epidemiological study design, cardiovascular disease
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