title: Rheumatic Heart Disease: The Unfinished Global Agenda.
abstract: Primarily affecting the young, rheumatic heart disease (RHD) is a neglected chronic disease commonly causing premature morbidity and mortality among the global poor. Standard clinical prevention and treatment is based on studies from the early antimicrobial era, as research investment halted soon after the virtual eradication of the disease from developed countries. The emergence of new global data on disease burden, new technologies, and a global health equity platform have revitalized interest and investment in RHD. This review surveys past and current evidence for standard RHD diagnosis and treatment, highlighting gaps in knowledge.
authors.affiliation: Section of Cardiovascular Medicine, Yale School of Medicine, 789 Howard Avenue, New Haven, CT 06519, USA.
authors.forename: Shanti
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Nulu
authors.affiliation: Division of Global Health Equity, Brigham and Women's Hospital, 641 Huntington Avenue, Boston, MA 02115, USA; Department of Global Health and Social Medicine, Harvard Medical School, 641 Huntington Avenue, Boston, MA 02115, USA.
authors.forename: Gene
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Bukhman
authors.affiliation: Department of Global Health and Social Medicine, Harvard Medical School, 641 Huntington Avenue, Boston, MA 02115, USA; Section of Cardiovascular Medicine, Boston University Medical Center, Boston University School of Medicine, 88 East Newton Street, D8, Boston, MA 02118, USA. Electronic address: genekwan@bu.edu.
authors.forename: Gene F
authors.initials: GF
authors.lastname: Kwan
mesh_terms: D003906:Developing Countries; D006801:Humans; D009017:Morbidity / Q000639:trends; D011203:Poverty; D012214:Rheumatic Heart Disease / Q000453:epidemiology*; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors
keywords: Global health; Noncommunicable disease; Rheumatic fever; Rheumatic heart disease