Circulation. Cardiovascular imaging
-
Circ Cardiovasc Imaging · Feb 2019
Simplified Echocardiography Screening Criteria for Diagnosing and Predicting Progression of Latent Rheumatic Heart Disease.
The 2012 World Heart Federation Criteria are the current gold standard for the diagnosis of latent rheumatic heart disease (RHD). Because data and experience using these criteria have grown, there is opportunity to simplify and develop outcome prediction tools. We aimed to develop a simple echocardiographic score applicable for RHD screening with potential to predict disease progression. ⋯ This simplified score, based on components of the World Heart Federation criteria, is highly accurate to recognize definite RHD and provides the first tool for risk stratification, assigning children with latent RHD to low, intermediate, or high risk based on echocardiographic features at diagnosis.