The Turkish Journal of Pediatrics
2012 , Vol 54 , Num 5
Clinical Features and Mid- and Long-Term Outcomes of Pediatric Patients with Subclinical Carditis
Division of Cardiology, Department of Pediatrics, Hacettepe University Faculty of Medicine, Ankara, Turkey.
E-mail: msahinn2001@gmail.com
A study to examine mid- and long-term outcomes in patients with subclinical
carditis was conducted. Data obtained at the time of diagnosis and during the
follow-up of 158 patients diagnosed with subclinical carditis were retrieved
and analyzed. Most patients had isolated mitral insufficiency. Frequency
of morphological changes in the mitral valve was significantly lower in
patients with at least one additional Jones criterion both at baseline (10.3%
vs. 48.8%, p<0.01) and at the end of the follow-up (27.8% versus 43.5%,
p=0.11). Mean jet size for mitral (12.0±8.8 versus 18.2±5.5 mm, p<0.01) and
aortic (4.1±4.0 versus 14.0±5.8 mm, p=0.008) insufficiency were decreased
compared to baseline. Improvement in mitral insufficiency was more frequent
among patients with more than five years of follow-up (82.6% versus 60.0%,
p=0.039). Subclinical carditis due to acute rheumatic fever is not a benign and
temporary condition. These patients should be given secondary prophylaxis.
Keywords :
subclinical carditis, acute rheumatic fever, follow-up, mitral insufficiency,
aortic insufficiency.