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Stroke as First Presentation of Rheumatic Heart Disease in Pediatric Age Group - a Case Report from Developing
Temesgen Tsega Desta1,2, Mugwaneza Kalisa Peace2, Johnson Kayihura2
1Rwanda Military Referral and Teaching Hospital (RMRTH), Kigali, Rwanda.
Insights
This case report highlights a rare instance of a 10-year-old boy whose first symptom of rheumatic heart disease (RHD) was an ischemic stroke. Early echocardiography is crucial for diagnosing RHD in children with stroke.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Neurology
- Cardiology
- Rheumatology
Background:
- Rheumatic heart disease (RHD) is a chronic condition resulting from acute rheumatic fever.
- Stroke is an uncommon initial presentation of RHD in children.
- This report details a rare case of RHD presenting initially as ischemic stroke.
Background:
Rheumatic heart disease (RHD), a chronic consequence of acute rheumatic fever, rarely presents with stroke as an initial manifestation in children. This report shows a rare scenario where ischemic stroke was the first clinical presentation of underlying RHD.
Case Presentation:
A 10-year-old boy presented with seizures, hemiplegia, and expressive aphasia. Echocardiography revealed rheumatic mitral valve disease with a vegetation. Neuroimaging showed multifocal cerebral infarctions suggestive of cardioembolism.
Conclusion:
This case emphasizes the importance of echocardiographic screening in pediatric patients presenting with stroke, particularly in endemic regions where subclinical RHD may go undiagnosed.
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