Observational studyPediatric rheumatology online journal2019
Screening of asymptomatic rheumatic heart disease among refugee/migrant children and youths in Italy.
Observational study in Pediatric rheumatology online journal, 2019. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 11 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.
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Who cites it
11 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it, 18 citations in OpenAlex.
- Global prevalence and sex differences in rheumatic heart disease: a systematic review and updated meta-analysis.Frontiers in cardiovascular medicine · 2025Pooled it
- Acute rheumatic fever and rheumatic heart disease in Latin America: a contemporary review of epidemiology.Lancet regional health. Americas · 2026Review
- Rheumatic Heart Disease in Europe: Insights from a Pilot Screening Study and a Scoping Review.Global heart · 2026Article
- Burden and Temporal Trends of Valvular Heart Disease-Related Heart Failure From 1990 to 2019 and Projection Up to 2030 in Group of 20 Countries: An Analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2019.Journal of the American Heart Association · 2024Article
- Echocardiographic Screening of Rheumatic Heart Disease: Current Concepts and Challenges.Turkish archives of pediatrics · 2024Article
- Clinical Characteristics and Valve Lesions in Rheumatic Heart Disease Among Children at Hiwot Fana Comprehensive Specialized Hospital: A Comparative Study of Newly Diagnosed and Known Cases.Global pediatric health · 2024Article
- The rise and fall of acute rheumatic fever and rheumatic heart disease: a mini review.Frontiers in cardiovascular medicine · 2023Review
- Contemporary prevalence and outcomes of rheumatic mitral valve surgery.Journal of cardiac surgery · 2022Article
- Clinical applications of Lung Ultrasound in children in Pediatric Emergency Setting: a lesson from a child with severe heart disease.Acta bio-medica : Atenei Parmensis · 2021Article
- Rheumatic heart disease anno 2020: Impacts of gender and migration on epidemiology and management.European journal of clinical investigation · 2020Review
- Echocardiography Screening for Latent Rheumatic Heart Disease: What Can We Do in Indonesia?Frontiers in surgery · 2020Article
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
8 authors at 2 institutions in 2 countries.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundRheumatic heart disease (RHD) is a chronic condition responsible of congestive heart failure, stroke and arrhythmia. Almost eradicated in high-income countries (HIC), it persists in low- and middle-income countries. The purpose of the study was to assess the feasibility and meaningfulness of ultrasound-based RHD screening among the population of unaccompanied foreign minors in Italy and determine the burden of asymptomatic RHD among this discrete population.
methodsFrom February 2016 to January 2018, Médecins Sans Frontières conducted a weekly mobile screening by echocardiography in reception centers and family houses for unaccompanied foreign minors in Rome, followed by fix echocardiographic retesting for those resulting positive at screening. 'Definite' and 'borderline' cases were defined according to the World Hearth Federation criteria.
resultsSix hundred fifty-three individuals (13-26 years old) were screened; 95.6% were below 18 years old (624/653). Six 'definite RHD' were identified at screening, yielding a detection rate of 9.2‰ (95% CI 4.1-20.3‰), while 285 (436.4‰) were defined as 'borderline' (95% CI 398.8-474.9‰). Out of 172 "non-negative borderline" cases available for being retested (113 "non-negative borderline" lost in follow-up), additional 11 were categorized as 'definite RHD', for a total of 17 'definite RHD', yielding a final prevalence of 26.0‰ (95% CI 16.2-41.5‰) (17/653), and 122 (122/653) were confirmed as 'borderline' (final prevalence of 186.8‰, 95% CI 158.7-218.7). In multivariate logistic regression analysis the presence of systolic murmur was a strong predictor for both 'borderline' (OR 4.3 [2.8-6.5]) and 'definite RHD' (OR 5.2 [1.7-15.2]), while no specific country/geographic area of origin was statistically associated with an increased risk of latent, asymptomatic RHD.
conclusionsScreening for RHD among the unaccompanied migrant minors in Italy proved to be feasible. The burden of 'definite RHD' was similar to that identified in resource-poor settings, while the prevalence of 'borderline' cases was higher than reported in other studies. In view of these findings, the health system of high-income countries, hosting migrants and asylum seekers, are urged to adopt screening for RHD in particular among the silent and marginalized population of refugee and migrant children.
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