Pediatric rheumatic carditis in Italy and Rwanda: The same disease, different socio-economic settings.

Background: Acute Rheumatic Fever and Rheumatic Heart Disease are the leading cause of acquired heart disease in Low-Income Countries, and a common cause in High-Income Countries. We compared rheumatic carditis, its echocardiographic presentation at diagnosis and its progression in Italy and Rwanda.

Methods: Retrospective study including all consecutive patients diagnosed with rheumatic carditis in an Italian (IT) and two Rwandan Hospitals (RW).

Cardiac Surgery: Increasing Access in Low- and Middle-Income Countries.

Purpose Of The Review: Low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) have long-battled communicable diseases, and now, a rise in non-communicable diseases (NCD) is conferring tremendous burden in these areas. Cardiovascular disease (CVD) remains the number one cause of death among NCDs across the globe. The current review provides insight regarding this disease burden and highlights challenges as well as strategies for establishing functional cardiac surgery centers and sustainable access to comprehensive cardiovascular care within LMICs.