Mitral valve prolapse in children: a comparative study between cases with and without frank history of rheumatic fever

ABSTRACT

A comparative study between cases of MVP with and without frank history of rheumatic fever was done. Fifty cases of MVP were randomly recruited from school health insurance clinics in Cairo Governorate with ages ranged between 7-15 years. MPV was diagnosed by M mode and 2 dimensional echocardiography. All cases were subjected to full medical history and clinical examination. History of rheumatic fever [RF] was diagnosed on the basis of modified Jones Criteria. Out of the 50 cases of MVP, 32 patients proved to have frank history of RF. The study showed that children with frank history of rheumatic fever had significantly higher incidence of anterior leaflet prolapse, higher incidence of thickening of MV leaflets and more prone to mitral regurgitation was significantly higher in rheumatic group; while clicks were significant higher in non-rheumatic group. It was concluded that children suffering from MVP associated with ALP and/or thickened valve leaflets with mitral regurgitation especially of moderate to severe degree must be considered having a rheumatic heart disease even if frank rheumatic history was lacking. Those children may benefit from prophylactic long acting penicillin