Arnkisa Chaikitpinyo

Rheumatic and congenital heart diseases among school children of Khon Kaen, Thailand: declining prevalence of rheumatic heart disease

Abstract Background: Rheumatic fever (RF), rheumatic heart disease (RHD), and congenital heart disease (CHD) are still major problems among Thai school children. Objective: To examine trends in the prevalence of RF/RHD and CHD along with the socioeconomic status of school children in urban Khon Kaen, northeastern Thailand. Methods: We conducted cross-sectional survey of 8,555 school children aged 5-15 years from 4 schools in urban Khon Kaen from January to March 2006. Pediatric cardiologists examined the school children and all cardiac diagnoses were confirmed by echocardiography. Socioeconomic data were also collected. Schools were divided into high and low socioeconomic status (SES) schools, based on the prevailing levels of parental education and household income. All positive cases of heart disease were followed and reviewed at a university hospital up to December 2013. Results: Of 8,555 children examined, 2 had RF/RHD, and 10 had CHD. The prevalence of RF/RHD was 0.23 per 1,000 (95% CI 0.03-0.84), and the prevalence of CHD was 1.2 per 1,000 (95% CI 0.56-2.15). Prevalence of RF/RHD among urban school children in the center of northeastern Thailand had declined from 1.13 to 0.23 per 1,000 since 1986. The indices of socioeconomic development revealed marked improvement during this 20 year interim. The prevalence of RF/RHD was higher among low SES schools (4.6 per 1,000) compared with high SES schools (0 per 1,000). Conclusion: There is a low prevalence of RHD in school children in this region compared with the period before 1986.

Original article. Childhood infective endocarditis in Khon Kaen University Hospital from 1992 to 2011

Abstract Background: Infective endocarditis (IE) is an important cause of child morbidity and mortality, but the current burden of the disease in Thai children is unknown. Objectives: To determine the current burden of IE in Thai children. Patients and Methods: The records of all children aged <15 years admitted to Khon Kaen University Hospital from 1992 to 2011 were reviewed. Results: Of 69,822 admissions, 56 patients fulfilled the modified Duke criteria for definite IE giving a rate of 0.8 cases per 1,000 admissions. Age at diagnosis was 7.9 ± 3.8 years (range, 8 days to 14.8 years). There was congenital heart disease in 38 (68%) patients, rheumatic heart disease (RHD) in 10 (18%), and no previous heart disease in 8 (14%). RHD was a less frequent underlying disease during the latter half (2002-2011) of the period studied (1/34 vs. 9/22, P < 0.001). Blood cultures were positive for pathogens in 34 (61%) patients with 11 cases of Streptococcus viridians and 8 cases of Staphylococcus aureus infections. Vegetations on echocardiography were present in 46 (82%) patients. For 8 embolic events, patients with large vegetations had a higher rate (4/6) than patients with small and no vegetations (4/50) (P < 0.003). In-hospital mortality was 11%. Eight patients with S. aureus infection had a higher mortality (5/8) than 26 patients (1/26) infected with other pathogens (P < 0.001). Conclusion: The changing epidemiology of pediatric IE was toward fewer children with RHD. Mortality among children with IE was higher in those with S. aureus infection.