Outcomes of borderline rheumatic heart disease: A prospective cohort study.

CONTEXT AND AIMS: The advent of systematic screening for rheumatic heart disease (RHD) by echocardiography in endemic regions has led to a new entity: borderline RHD. The pathogenicity and natural history of borderline RHD needs to be addressed. The aim of this study was to assess the outcomes of children detected by echocardiography as having borderline RHD. METHODS: Schoolchildren in 4th grade (i.e., aged 9-10years) who were prospectively echo-screened for RHD (2012-2014) in Nouméa, New Caledonia, were asked to participate. Children with borderline RHD according to consistent independent review by two cardiologists were included and followed-up in 2015. RESULTS: Among the 8684 schoolchildren screened, 49 were diagnosed with borderline RHD according to the Cardiologist clinically involved in the child's management plan. After independent review by two cardiologists, 25 children were consistently diagnosed with borderline RHD and included in the follow-up study. Overall, inter-observer agreement was moderate with diagnostic kappa values of 0.63 (95% CI 0.45-0.78). After a median follow-up of 23months (IQR (20.5-33.0), 15 children (60.0%) had stability of valvular lesions, 8 (32.0%) had normal findings according to the WHF criteria. Two children (8.0%) had definite RHD on the follow-up echocardiogram, but no clinical events or audible pathological murmur during the study period. No factor could be identified as prognostic of either stability or progression. CONCLUSIONS: Borderline RHD diagnosed by systematic screening in high-risk populations remains mostly unchanged at 2years follow-up. Diagnosis of borderline RHD may require two reviewers for consistency.

Newly diagnosed rheumatic heart disease among indigenous populations in the Pacific.

OBJECTIVES: Rheumatic heart disease (RHD) remains the leading acquired heart disease in the young worldwide. We aimed at assessing outcomes and influencing factors in the contemporary era. METHODS: Hospital-based cohort in a high-income island nation where RHD remains endemic and the population is captive. All patients admitted with newly diagnosed RHD according to World Heart Federation echocardiographic criteria were enrolled (2005-2013). The incidence of major cardiovascular events (MACEs) including heart failure, peripheral embolism, stroke, heart valve intervention and cardiovascular death was calculated, and their determinants identified. RESULTS: Of the 396 patients, 43.9% were male with median age 18 years (IQR 10-40)). 127 (32.1%) patients presented with mild, 131 (33.1%) with moderate and 138 (34.8%) with severe heart valve disease. 205 (51.8%) had features of acute rheumatic fever. 106 (26.8%) presented with at least one MACE. Among the remaining 290 patients, after a median follow-up period of 4.08 (95% CI 1.84 to 6.84) years, 7 patients (2.4%) died and 62 (21.4%) had a first MACE. The annual incidence of first MACE and of heart failure were 59.05‰ (95% CI 44.35 to 73.75) and 29.06‰ (95% CI 19.29 to 38.82), respectively. The severity of RHD at diagnosis (moderate vs mild HR 3.39 (0.95 to 12.12); severe vs mild RHD HR 10.81 (3.11 to 37.62), p<0.001) and ongoing secondary prophylaxis at follow-up (HR 0.27 (0.12 to 0.63), p=0.01) were the two most influential factors associated with MACE. CONCLUSIONS: Newly diagnosed RHD is associated with poor outcomes, mainly in patients with moderate or severe valve disease and no secondary prophylaxis.

Infective endocarditis in the Pacific: clinical characteristics, treatment and long-term outcomes.

INTRODUCTION: Data on clinical characteristics and outcomes of infective endocarditis (IE) in the Pacific are scarce. METHODS: Retrospective hospital-based study in New Caledonia, a high-income country, on patients aged over 18 years with definite IE according to the modified Duke criteria (2005-2010). RESULTS: 51 patients were included: 31 (60.8%) men; median age of 52.4 years (IQR 33.0-70.0). Left-sided IE accounted for 47 (92.2%) patients: native valve IE in 34 (66.7%) and prosthetic valve IE in 13 (25.5%). The main underlying heart disease included: rheumatic valve disease in 19 (37.3%), degenerative heart valve disease in 12 (23.5%) and congenital heart disease in 6 (11.8%). Significant comorbidities (Charlson's score >3) were observed in 20 (38.7%) patients. Infection was community acquired in 43 (84.3%) patients. Leading pathogens included Staphylococcus aureus in 16 (31.4%) and Streptococcus spp in 15 (29.4%) patients. Complications were noted in 33 patients (64.7%) and 24 (47.1%) were admitted to the intensive care unit. Cardiac surgery was eventually performed in 22 of 40 (55.0%) patients with a theoretical indication. None underwent emergent cardiac surgery (ie, first 24 h); 2 (3.9%) were operated within 7 days; and 20 (39.2%) beyond 7 days. 11 (21.6%) patients died in hospital and 21 (42.9%) were dead after a median follow-up of 28.8 months (IQR 4.6-51.2). Two (3.9%) were lost to follow-up. CONCLUSIONS: In New Caledonia, IE afflicts relatively young patients with rheumatic heart disease, and carries high complication and mortality rates. Access to heart surgery remains relatively limited in this remote archipelago.

Early cardiovascular abnormalities in newly diagnosed obstructive sleep apnea.

Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is associated with high cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. Recent studies have shown that it is associated with atherosclerosis and left ventricular dysfunction markers. The aim of this study was to assess the cardiovascular effects of OSA depending on its severity, in patients without clinically diagnosed cardiovascular disease. One hundred thirty newly diagnosed, nondiabetic OSA patients (mean age 49 +/- 10 years), without vasoactive treatment were included. They underwent clinical and ambulatory blood pressure measurements, echocardiography, carotid ultrasound examination, and a carotid-femoral pulse wave velocity (PWV) measurement. Seventy-five percent of the subjects were hypertensive according to the clinical or ambulatory measurement. More patients with the most severe forms (respiratory disturbance index >37/hour) had a nondipper profile (52% vs 34%; P = 0.025) and their left ventricular mass was higher (40 +/- 7 vs 36 +/- 8 g/m, p = 0.014). This last parameter was independently and inversely associated with mean nocturnal oxygen saturation (P = 0.004). PWV and carotid intima-media thickness did not differ between one OSA severity group to another, but the prevalence of carotid hypertrophy was higher when mean SaO(2) was below 93.5% (29.5 vs 16%; P = 0.05). Our study shows that in OSA patients without clinically diagnosed cardiovascular disease, there is a significant left ventricular and arterial effect, which is even more marked when OSA is severe.