Skip to content
The Kids Research Institute Australia logo
Donate

Discover . Prevent . Cure .

Search

Research

Rheumatic heart disease in The Gambia: clinical and valvular aspects at presentation and evolution under penicillin prophylaxis

Rheumatic heart disease (RHD) remains the leading cause of cardiac-related deaths and disability in children and young adults worldwide. In The Gambia, the RHD burden is thought to be high although no data are available and no control programme is yet implemented. We conducted a pilot study to generate baseline data on the clinical and valvular characteristics of RHD patients at first presentation, adherence to penicillin prophylaxis and the evolution of lesions over time.

Research

Rheumatic heart disease in Indigenous young peoples

Indigenous children and young peoples live with an inequitable burden of acute rheumatic fever and rheumatic heart disease. In this Review, we focus on the epidemiological burden and lived experience of these conditions for Indigenous young peoples in Australia, New Zealand, and Canada. We outline the direct and indirect drivers of rheumatic heart disease risk and their mitigation.

Research

Quality of benzathine penicillin G: A multinational cross-sectional study

Benzathine penicillin G (BPG) is used as first-line treatment for most forms of syphilis and as secondary prophylaxis against rheumatic heart disease (RHD). Perceptions that poor quality of BPG is linked to reported adverse effects and therapeutic failure may impact syphilis and RHD control programs. Clinical networks and web-based advertising were used to obtain vials of BPG from a wide range of countries.

Research

Acute Rheumatic Fever and Rheumatic Heart Disease

Acute Rheumatic Fever and Rheumatic Heart Disease is a concise, yet comprehensive, clinical resource highlighting must-know information on rheumatic heart disease and acute rheumatic fever from a global perspective

Research

The end rheumatic heart disease in Australia study of epidemiology (ERASE) project: Data sources, case ascertainment and cohort profile

The ERASE Project has created an unprecedented linked administrative database on acute rheumatic fever and rheumatic heart disease in Australia

Research

Qualitative Evaluation of a Complex Intervention to Improve Rheumatic Heart Disease Secondary Prophylaxis

A multifaceted intervention was implemented using quality improvement and chronic care model approaches to improve delivery of penicillin prophylaxis for rheumatic heart disease

Research

Rheumatic heart disease in Timor-Leste school students: an echocardiography-based prevalence study

The rates of RHD in Timor-Leste are among the highest in the world, and prevalence is higher among girls than boys. Community engagement is essential for ensuring follow-up and the effective delivery of secondary prophylaxis.

Research

Clinical outcomes for young people with screening-detected and clinically-diagnosed rheumatic heart disease in Fiji

Young people with screening-detected RHD have worse health outcomes than screen-negative cases in Fiji.

Research

The 2015 revision of the Jones criteria for the diagnosis of acute rheumatic fever: Implications for practice in low-income and middle-income countries

This article discusses the 2015 revision of the Jones criteria by the American Heart Association for the diagnosis of acute rheumatic fever.