Prevalence of rheumatic heart disease in patients with recurrent tonsillitis and elevated anti-streptolysin O titers.
BACKGROUND
Patients with elevated anti-streptolysin O (ASO) titers (ASOT) and recurrent tonsillitis episodes are known to be at higher risk for rheumatic heart disease (RHD). However, there is no data regarding prevalence of RHD in this high risk population. In this study, we aimed to screen ambulatory patients with elevated ASOT and recurrent tonsillitis episodes using echocardiography for identification of RHD. We hypothesized that prevalence of RHD is higher in this patient group compared to general population.


METHODS
102 patients (10.33 ± 4.01 years, 50.98% female) who were diagnosed with recurrent tonsillitis and had elevated ASOT were included this study. Echocardiographic evaluation was performed by an experienced cardiologist.


RESULTS
Echocardiographic examination revealed definite RHD in 2/102 (1.96%) patients and borderline RHD in 3/102 (2.94%) patients.


CONCLUSIONS
Our study demonstrates a high prevalence of RHD in patients with recurrent tonsillitis episodes and high ASOT. Screening with echocardiography is beneficial to improve the detection rates of subclinical RHD in such high-risk populations.
Department of Otolaryngology, Hakkari State Hospital, Hakkari, Turkey.
M S
MS
Sahin
Department of Cardiology, Hakkari State Hospital, Hakkari, Turkey. Electronic address: ulviyalcin@gmail.com.
M U
MU
Yalcin
Department of Cardiology, Hacettepe University, Faculty of Medicine, Ankara, Turkey.
D
D
Kocyigit
D000293:Adolescent; D000989:Antistreptolysin / Q000097:blood*; D002648:Child; D004452:Echocardiography; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008403:Mass Screening; D015995:Prevalence; D012214:Rheumatic Heart Disease / Q000097:blood / Q000453:epidemiology*; D014069:Tonsillitis / Q000097:blood / Q000453:epidemiology*
D000989:Antistreptolysin
Anti-streptolysin O; Echocardiography; Rheumatic heart disease; Tonsillitis