Aim: To determine the epidemiological findings of acute rheumatic fever\n(ARF) and relationship with acute rheumatic heart disease (RHD). Patients\nand method: This cross sectional study was conducted from January 2012 to\nDecember 2016 (5 years) in the Department of Pediatrics. We had included\npatients aged from 5 to15 years old, admitted for ARF. Results: Twenty-nine\nblack African children, 15 boys (51.7%) were included. The incidence was 5.8\ncases/year. The mean age was 10.4 Â} 2.7 years. The mean age of parents was\n34.5 Â} 6.9 years (range: 24-48) for mother and 41.2 Â} 6.9 years (range: 28 -\n56) for father. Parents were low-income 10 (34.5%), the delay of consultation\nwas 17.7 Â} 19.5 days. The medical history was: frequent pharyngitis 22 (76%),\nprevious ARF 17 (58.6%), previous hospitalization 11 (38%). Signs were: polyarthralgia\n(n = 28, 96.6%), fever (n = 24, 82.8%), asthenia (n = 18, 62%),\nmigratory polyarthritis (n = 12, 41.4%). Organic heart murmur has been reported\nin 13 cases (44.8%), and heart failure in 7 cases. The anomalies of\nblood analysis were inflammatory syndrome (100%), elevation of streptococcal\nenzymes (n = 27, 93%), and anemia (n = 16, 55.2%). In cardiac ultrasound,\nanomalies were: thickened valve (n = 13, 44.8%), mitral regurgitation\n(n = 13, 44.8%), dilatation of left ventricle (n = 9, 31%), aortic regurgitation\n(n = 5, 17.2%). The nosology of pathology was acute RHD (n = 15, 51.7%),\nARF only (n = 14, 48.3%). Associated factors of acute RHD were: female sex\n(OR 1.52, 95%CI 0.35 - 6.6), low-income (OR 1.33, 95%CI 0.24 - 7.4), previous\nhospitalization (OR 2.7, 95%CI 0.58 - 13) and migratory polyarthritis\n(OR 1.12, 95%CI 0.25 - 4.9). Conclusion: The ARF remains prevalent in our\ncountries. Its complications lead to sequelae that are difficult to treat, because\nof the lack of cardiac surgery centers in many sub-Saharan African countries\nincluding Congo. Prevention and effective treatment of angina should be applied\nby practitioners.
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