Oli K, Porteous J
Department of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Addis Ababa University, Ethiopia.
East Afr Med J. 1999 Nov;76(11):601-5.
To determine the prevalence of rheumatic heart disease (RHD), and the impact of potential risk factors on its occurrence among school children in Addis Ababa.
Cross-sectional survey of school children for the presence or absence of RHD.
Randomly selected ten government and five private schools from the list of all government and private schools in Addis Ababa teaching grades 7 and 8.
All school children attending grades 7 and 8 in the randomly selected schools.
Clinical findings suggestive of RHD confirmed by echocardiographic and Doppler studies.
Out of the 10,053 school children selected for the study 9,388 (93%) were examined. Sixty of the 9,388 school children examined were subsequently confirmed to have RHD giving an overall prevalence rate of 6.4 per 1000 children. The prevalence for government and private schools representing low and high socio-economic groups were 7.1 and 1 per 1000 children respectively (Fisher's exact = 0.019). Crowding conditions at home, in schools and in the bedrooms were not associated with the risk of RHD (chi 2 = 4.968; p > or = 0.174).
This study confirmed that the prevalence of RHD, at least in the low socio-economic group is among the highest in the world. This evidence highlights the need for an urgent control programme.
确定亚的斯亚贝巴学龄儿童风湿性心脏病（RHD）的患病率，以及潜在风险因素对其发病的影响。
对学龄儿童进行关于是否患有RHD的横断面调查。
从亚的斯亚贝巴所有公立和私立学校的名单中随机选择10所公立学校和5所私立学校，这些学校教授7年级和8年级课程。
随机选择学校中所有7年级和8年级的学龄儿童。
经超声心动图和多普勒研究证实的提示RHD的临床发现。
在入选该研究的10,053名学龄儿童中，9,388名（93%）接受了检查。在接受检查的9,388名学龄儿童中，有60名随后被确诊患有RHD，总体患病率为每1000名儿童中有6.4例。代表低社会经济群体的公立学校和私立学校的患病率分别为每1000名儿童中有7.1例和1例（费舍尔精确检验 = 0.019）。家庭、学校和卧室的拥挤状况与RHD风险无关（卡方 = 4.968；p≥0.174）。
本研究证实，至少在低社会经济群体中，RHD的患病率是世界上最高的之一。这一证据凸显了迫切需要实施控制计划。
