Pattern of Valvular Lesions in Rheumatic Heart Disease among Females: A Single Centre Experience in South India

Rheumatic heart disease continues to be major health problem in developing countries like India and one of the leading causes of disability and premature death. RHD is a disease of involvement of mitral valve with associated other valves. The literature shows that mitral stenosis is the major lesion in female, but data of other lesions are conflicting. The aim of this study is to analyses the pattern of valvular involvement in rheumatic heart disease (RHD) in females. This retrospective study was conducted in Department of Cardiology, at Sri Jayadeva Institute of Cardiovascular Sciences and Research, Bengaluru. The study was conducted on female patients who were diagnosed with RHD based on echocardiographic examination. Total 5, 692 female patients were admitted during the study period out of which 1, 199 patients were diagnosed with RHD. Isolated severe mitral stenosis (MS) was found the most common lesion 665 (55.46 %) followed by multivalvular lesion which accounted 202 (16.84 %). The mitral valve lesion is observed as the most common lesion. Particularly, mitral stenosis leads to significant comorbidities and premature death. There is a need for the intensive primary and secondary prophylaxis of acute rheumatic fever and rheumatic heart disease to prevent development of severe form of the disease.