CLINICAL PROFILE OF PEDIATRIC PATIENTS WITH RHEUMATIC HEART DISEASE AT SAINT PAUL’S HOSPITAL MILLENNIUM MEDICAL COLLEGE,PEDIATRICS DEPARTMENT ADDIS ABABA, ETHIOPIA,2021.

Abstract

ABSTRACT Background; Chronic rheumatic heart disease (RHD) is a major cause of mortality and morbidity in developing countries. Worldwide, it is estimated that 15 to 20 million people have RHD, of whom about 2.4 million are children between the ages of 5 and 14 years. The prevalence of RHD varies greatly between countries and increases with age, peaking in young adults aged 25 to 34 years. Objective; to assess the clinical profile of pediatric patients with rheumatic heart disease at Saint Paul’s hospital millennium medical college Pediatrics department, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, 2021. Methods; A hospital -based cross-sectional study with a retrospective data collection was conducted from March 2021 to July 2021 at cardiac clinic, department of pediatrics and child health of SPHMMC. All pediatric patients who were diagnosed with rheumatic heart disease and who are on follow up at cardiac clinic from January 2018- March 2021 with available charts were included in the study. Result ; Among 140 patients 84 were females (59.9%) and the common age group affected was in the range between 11-15 (54.2%), followed by age between 6-10 (45.8%). The most common presenting symptom was shortness of breath 60.7%. Mitral valve was the most affected valve accounting for 97.1%, followed by aortic valve involvement. Majority of patients had involvement of both mitral and aortic valve 65.7%. Pulmonary hypertension found to be the common complication seen in 83 patients and 51.8% had severe pulmonary hypertension. According to the NYHA functional grading 46.4% were NYHA class III, 26.4% were NYHA class II, 13.6% as NYHA class I and NYHA class IV. Conclusion; Rheumatic heart disease, although declining in developed countries, it remains to be common in Ethiopia. Greatest patients on follow up come with complications and needed surgical intervention. Efforts are needed to improve early interventions, primary and secondary preventive measures. Keywords: Acquired heart disease, children, Rheumatic heart disease, surgical interventions