Key result
Echocardiography detects carditis in ~82% of children with Sydenham chorea, predominantly subclinical.
Why the study?
Although Sydenham chorea often appears as an isolated manifestation in children, echocardiography frequently reveals valvular damage that goes undetected on auscultation, prompting determination of the prevalence and patterns of clinical and subclinical carditis at Tibebe-Ghion and Adinas General Hospitals.
What are the prevalence and patterns of clinical and subclinical carditis detected by echocardiography in children presenting with Sydenham chorea?
Cross-Sectional (n=109)
Yes
What are the prevalence and patterns of clinical and subclinical carditis detected by echocardiography in children presenting with Sydenham chorea?
Routine echocardiographic screening in children with Sydenham chorea reveals a 66% prevalence of silent subclinical carditis that would be missed by physical examination alone, supporting mandatory echocardiographic assessment to guide secondary antibiotic prophylaxis.
Answers are grounded in this paper and cite their sources.
Echocardiography detects subclinical carditis in most children with Sydenham chorea; hypothesis-generating for routine screening, with prospective studies needed before changing practice.
In children with Sydenham chorea (SC), the prevalence of carditis (both clinical and subclinical carditis) is significant. Though SC often appears as an isolated manifestation, echocardiography frequently reveals valvular damage that goes undetected on auscultation. Determine the prevalence and patterns of clinical and subclinical carditis in children with Sydenham’s chorea at Tibebe-Ghion and Adinas General Hospitals. A retrospective, cross-sectional analysis of the archived echocardiographic findings of all children (aged 5–15) diagnosed with Sydenham chorea from June 2019 to March 2026 was done between July 8, 2026, and August 7, 2026. A multinomial logistic regression done using SPSS version 27 evaluated the associations between age, sex, and carditis status. Associations were reported as odds ratios with 95% confidence intervals and significance at p < 0.05. Among 109 children with Sydenham chorea (mean age 10.07 ± 2.72 years; 59% female), 18% had no carditis, 66% had subclinical carditis, and 16% had clinical carditis. Mitral regurgitation (MR) was present in 82% of patients, primarily within the subclinical category (81%), with mild MR dominating subclinical cases (94%). Aortic regurgitation (AR) occurred in 22% of children, and 22% experienced combined MR and AR; isolated AR was not observed. Multinomial logistic regression demonstrated that neither age ( p = 0.929) nor sex ( p = 0.440) were significant predictors of carditis status. Echocardiography identified subclinical carditis in a substantial proportion of children with Sydenham chorea. These findings support the use of echocardiographic assessment in children with Sydenham chorea, particularly in high-burden settings. Not applicable.
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Gelaw et al. (2026) conducted a cross-sectional in Sydenham chorea (n=109). Transthoracic echocardiography screening in Sydenham chorea was evaluated on Prevalence of subclinical carditis meeting 2023 WHF confirmatory criteria. Echocardiography identified carditis in 82% of children with Sydenham chorea (66% subclinical and 16% clinical), with mitral regurgitation present in 82% and neither age nor sex predicting carditis.
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