Background: Rheumaticfever is a characteristic constellation ofmulti
system, disease, which occurs after a lag periodfollowing pharyngeal in
fection with group A streptococci Heart Rate Variability (HRVj is defined
as the amount ofheart ratefluctuations around themean heart rate.HRV
can be used as amirror ofthe cardio-respiratory control systemand rep
resents one ofthe most promising and easy markers ofsympathetic and
parasympathetic function of the autonomic nervous system. Objectives:
DeterminingHRVchanges in childrenwith rheumaticfever, aswell as us
ing HRV as a diagnostic marker of rheumatic heart disease. Subjects:
This cross-sectional case-control study included 50 children suffering
from rheumaticfever (25 males and 25 females), their ages ranged be
tween 5-12 years with amean of8.52 3.45 year and their meanweight
was 27.288.07 Kg. Forty healthy children (20 males and 20females) of
the same age andwith a meanweight 25.35+6.22 Kg were studied as a
control group. Methods: All cases were subjected to thorough clinical ex
amination, laboratory investigations (erythrocyte sedimentation rate, antistreptolysinObier,
C reactiveprotein.X-ray chest and heart, electrocardiographic
recording, echocardiographic assessment, and HRV measure
ment Results: All indicators ofHRV showed a highly statistical signifi
cant impairment in cases with rheumatic heart disease compared to
controls (P<0.01), and showed a statistical significant decrease in pa
tients with rheumatic carditis with orwithout heartfailure in comparison
to controls (P<0.05) |
