Clinical Outcomes in 3343 Children and Adults with Rheumatic Heart Disease from 14 Low and Middle Income Countries: 2-Year Follow-up of the Global Rheumatic Heart Disease Registry (the REMEDY study)

Background: There are few contemporary data on the mortality and morbidity associated with rheumatic heart disease or information on their predictors. We report the 2-year follow-up of individuals with rheumatic heart disease from 14 low- and middle-income countries in Africa and Asia. Methods: Between January 2010 and November 2012, we enrolled 3343 patients from 25 centers in 14 countries and followed them for 2 years to assess mortality, congestive heart failure, stroke or transient ischemic attack, recurrent acute rheumatic fever, and infective endocarditis. Results: Vital status at 24 months was known for 2960 (88.5%) patients. Two-thirds were female. Although patients were young (median age, 28 years; interquartile range, 18–40), the 2-year case fatality rate was high (500 deaths, 16.9%). Mortality rate was 116.3/1000 patient-years in the first year and 65.4/1000 patient-years in the second year. Median age at death was 28.7 years. Independent predictors of death were severe valve disease (hazard ratio [HR], 2.36; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.80–3.11), congestive heart failure (HR, 2.16; 95% CI, 1.70–2.72), New York Heart Association functional class III/IV (HR, 1.67; 95% CI, 1.32–2.10), atrial fibrillation (HR, 1.40; 95% CI, 1.10–1.78), and older age (HR, 1.02; 95% CI, 1.01–1.02 per year increase) at enrollment. Postprimary education (HR, 0.67; 95% CI, 0.54–0.85) and female sex (HR, 0.65; 95% CI, 0.52–0.80) were associated with lower risk of death. Two hundred and four (6.9%) patients had new congestive heart failure (incidence, 38.42/1000 patient-years), 46 (1.6%) had a stroke or transient ischemic attack (8.45/1000 patient-years), 19 (0.6%) had recurrent acute rheumatic fever (3.49/1000 patient-years), and 20 (0.7%) had infective endocarditis (3.65/1000 patient-years). Previous stroke and older age were independent predictors of stroke/transient ischemic attack or systemic embolism. Patients from low- and lower-middle–income countries had significantly higher age- and sex-adjusted mortality than patients from upper-middle–income countries. Valve surgery was significantly more common in upper-middle–income than in lower-middle– or low-income countries. Conclusions: Patients with clinical rheumatic heart disease have high mortality and morbidity despite being young; those from low- and lower-middle–income countries had a poorer prognosis associated with advanced disease and low education. Programs focused on early detection and the treatment of clinical rheumatic heart disease are required to improve outcomes. </jats:sec

Cardiovascular disease risk among hypertensive patients and associated determinants in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia: an institutional-based cross-sectional study

Objective The aim of this study was to assess the level of cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk and associated factors among hypertensive patients having follow-up at selected hospitals in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, in 2022.Setting A hospital-based cross-sectional study was conducted in public and tertiary hospitals in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, from 15 January 2022 to 30 July 2022.Participants A total of 326 adult hypertensive patients who visited the chronic diseases clinic for follow-up were included in the study.Primary and secondary outcome measures A high predicted 10-year CVD risk level was assessed using an interviewer-administered questionnaire and physical measurement (primary data) and reviews of medical data records (secondary data) by using a non-laboratory WHO risk prediction chart. Logistic regression with an adjusted OR (AOR) using a 95% CI was calculated for independent variables associated with 10-year CVD risk.Results The prevalence of a high predicted 10-year CVD risk level was 28.2% (95% CI 10.34% to 33.2%) among the study participants. A higher CVD risk level was found to be associated with age (AOR 4.2 for age 64–74, 95% CI 1.67 to 10.66), being male (AOR 2.1, 95% CI 1.18, 3.67), unemployment (AOR 3.2, 95% CI 1.06 to 6.25) and stage 2 systolic blood pressure (AOR 11.32; 95% CI 3.43 to 37.46).Conclusion The study showed that the respondent’s age, gender, occupation and high systolic blood pressure were determinant factors for CVD risks. Therefore, routine screening for the presence of CVD risk factors and assessment of CVD risk are recommended for hypertensive patients for CVD risk reduction

Prevalence of high bloodpressure, hyperglycemia, dyslipidemia, metabolic syndrome and their determinants in Ethiopia: Evidences from the National NCDs STEPS Survey, 2015

<div><p>The prevalence of diabetes, dyslipidemias, and high blood pressure is increasing worldwide especially in low and middle income countries. World Health Organization has emphasized the importance of the assessment of the magnitude of the specific disease in each country. We determined the prevalence and determinant factors of high blood pressure, hyperglycemia, dyslipidemias and metabolic syndrome in Ethiopia. A community based survey was conducted from -April to June 2015 using WHO NCD STEPS instrument version 3.1. 2008. Multistage stratified systemic random sampling was used to select representative samples from 9 regions of the country. A total of 10,260 people aged 15–69 years participated in the study. Blood pressure (BP) was measured for 9788 individuals. A total of 9141 people underwent metabolic screening. The prevalence of raised blood pressure (SBP ≥140 and/or DBP ≥ 90 mmHg) was 15.8% (16.3% in females and 15.5% in males). The prevalence of diabetes mellitus (FBS ≥ 126 mg /dl) including those on medication was 3.2% (3.5% males and 3.0% females). The prevalence of impaired fasting glucose was 9.1% with ADA criteria and 3.8% with WHO criteria. Hypercholesterolemia was found in 5.2%, hypertriglyceridemia in 21.0%, high LDL cholesterol occurred in 14.1% and low HDL cholesterol occurred in 68.7%. The prevalence of metabolic syndrome using IDF definition was 4.8% (8.6% in females and vs. 1.8% in males). Advanced age, urban residence, lack of physical exercise, raised waist circumference, raised waist hip ratio, overweight or obesity, and total blood cholesterol were significantly associated with raised blood pressure (BP) and diabetes mellitus. Increased waist- hip ratio was an independent predictor of raised blood pressure, hyperglycemia and raised total cholesterol. Our study showed significantly high prevalence of raised blood pressure, hyperglycemia and dyslipidemia in Ethiopia. Community based interventions are recommended to control these risk factors.</p></div

Mean and SD values of total cholesterol, blood glucose, diastolic and systolic blood pressure, Ethiopia NCD steps, 2015.

<p>Mean and SD values of total cholesterol, blood glucose, diastolic and systolic blood pressure, Ethiopia NCD steps, 2015.</p

Bivariate and multivariate analyses of demographic and clinical risk factors for raised blood pressure, raised blood sugar, raised total cholesterol level, Ethiopia NCD Steps 2015.

<p>Bivariate and multivariate analyses of demographic and clinical risk factors for raised blood pressure, raised blood sugar, raised total cholesterol level, Ethiopia NCD Steps 2015.</p

Prevalence of raised blood pressure, hyperglycemia and their determinants, WHO STEPs study, 2015, Ethiopia.

<p>Prevalence of raised blood pressure, hyperglycemia and their determinants, WHO STEPs study, 2015, Ethiopia.</p

Prevalence of dyslipidemia, WHO STEPS survey, Ethiopia 2015.

<p>Prevalence of dyslipidemia, WHO STEPS survey, Ethiopia 2015.</p

Prevalence of raised total cholesterol level and metabolic syndrome, and their determinants WHO STEPS survey, Ethiopia 2015.

<p>Prevalence of raised total cholesterol level and metabolic syndrome, and their determinants WHO STEPS survey, Ethiopia 2015.</p

Seven key actions to eradicate rheumatic heart disease in Africa: the Addis Ababa communiqué

Acute rheumatic fever (ARF) and rheumatic heart disease (RHD) remain major causes of heart failure, stroke and death among African women and children, despite being preventable and imminently treatable. From 21 to 22 February 2015, the Social Cluster of the Africa Union Commission (AUC) hosted a consultation with RHD experts convened by the Pan-African Society of Cardiology (PASCAR) in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, to develop a ‘roadmap’ of key actions that need to be taken by governments to eliminate ARF and eradicate RHD in Africa. Seven priority areas for action were adopted: (1) create prospective disease registers at sentinel sites in affected countries to measure disease burden and track progress towards the reduction of mortality by 25% by the year 2025, (2) ensure an adequate supply of high-quality benzathine penicillin for the primary and secondary prevention of ARF/RHD, (3) improve access to reproductive health services for women with RHD and other non-communicable diseases (NCD), (4) decentralise technical expertise and technology for diagnosing and managing ARF and RHD (including ultrasound of the heart), (5) establish national and regional centres of excellence for essential cardiac surgery for the treatment of affected patients and training of cardiovascular practitioners of the future, (6) initiate national multi-sectoral RHD programmes within NCD control programmes of affected countries, and (7) foster international partnerships with multinational organsations for resource mobilisation, monitoring and evaluation of the programme to end RHD in Africa. This Addis Ababa communiqué has since been endorsed by African Union heads of state, and plans are underway to implement the roadmap in order to end ARF and RHD in Africa in our lifetime