Rheumatic heart disease: current data in the cardiology department of the Brazzaville University Hospital

Abstract

Objective: To determine the hospital prevalence of rheumatic heart diseases. Patients and methods: This was a retrospective and analytical study of the medical records of patients hospitalized from January 2013 to December 2023 in the cardiology and internal medicine department of the University hospital of Brazzaville for rheumatic heart diseases. They met the 2012 World Heart Federation (WHF) ultrasound diagnostic criteria for rheumatic heart disease.

Results: eighty five patients were included, they were divided into 59 (69.4%) females and 26 (30.6%) males, ie a sex ratio of 2.2. The mean age was 40.4 ± 13.3 years, extremes 15 and 75 years old. The 31 to 45 years old age group represented 44.7%. A medical history of recurrent rheumatic angina was found in 22 (25.9%) of patients. Patients hospitalized at the stage of heart failure were 79 (93%). Endocardial lesions (valve disease) were found in all of the patients (100%). Valve diseases found were: isolated mitral insufficiency (32.9%), mitral disease (23.5%), association of mitral insufficiency and aortic insufficiency (14.1%), isolated mitral stenosis (11.8 %), isolated aortic insufficiency (10.6%), aortic disease (3.5%), the association of aortic insufficiency and mitral stenosis, the association of aortic insufficiency and aortic disease and the association of aortic disease and mitral stenosis (1.2% each). None of the patients had undergone heart surgery during hospitalization, all patients were managed with standard medical treatment. Six (7%) lethal cases were recorded then factors associated with these deaths were sought.