Continuing Burden of Rheumatic Heart Disease in India

Rheumatic heart disease (RHD) disables millions in Asia and Africa. Epidemiological data and clinical studies in India have reported a significant decline in its prevalence in last century. Global Burden of Disease (GBD) study estimated that RHD in India led to 395/100000 disability adjusted life years (DALYs) and 9.2/100000 deaths in 1990. This declined to 270/100000 and 7.9/100000, respectively, in 2017. School-based epidemiological studies in India have reported decline in clinically diagnosed RHD. On the other hand, GBD study has reported that in terms of absolute numbers, India contributes to one-third of global RHD burden. RHD in 1990 led to 3.44 million DALYs and 80,470 deaths which has increased to 3.73 million DALYs and 108,460 deaths in 2017. India Disease Burden Initiative has reported high RHD burden in many less developed states of the country, e.g., Bihar, Odisha, Assam, Chhattisgarh, Uttar Pradesh, etc. Echocardiographic epidemiology studies have reported high burden of subclinical RHD. Significant proportions of patients in hospital-based echocardiographic clinics have RHD and it contributes to 25-45% of cardiac surgeries in government hospitals. The continuing burden of RHD needs proper public health and clinical response.