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Prevalence of rheumatic heart disease in Zambian school children

Overview of attention for article published in BMC Cardiovascular Disorders, July 2018
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  • Good Attention Score compared to outputs of the same age (66th percentile)
  • Good Attention Score compared to outputs of the same age and source (79th percentile)

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Title
Prevalence of rheumatic heart disease in Zambian school children
Published in
BMC Cardiovascular Disorders, July 2018
DOI 10.1186/s12872-018-0871-8
Pubmed ID
Authors

John Musuku, Mark E. Engel, Patrick Musonda, Joyce Chipili Lungu, Elizabeth Machila, Sherri Schwaninger, Agnes Mtaja, Evans Mulendele, Dorothy Kavindele, Jonathan Spector, Brigitta Tadmor, Marcelo M. Gutierrez, Joris Van Dam, Laurence Colin, Aidan Long, Mark C. Fishman, Bongani M. Mayosi, Liesl J. Zühlke

Abstract

The large global burden of rheumatic heart disease (RHD) has come to light in recent years following robust epidemiologic studies. As an operational research component of a broad program aimed at primary and secondary prevention of RHD, we sought to determine the current prevalence of RHD in the country's capital, Lusaka, using a modern imaging-based screening methodology. In addition, we wished to evaluate the practicality of training local radiographers in echocardiography screening methods. Echocardiography was conducted on a random sample of students in 15 schools utilizing a previously validated, abbreviated screening protocol. Through a task-shifting scheme, and in the spirit of capacity-building to enhance local diagnostic and research skills, general radiographers based at Lusaka University Teaching Hospital (UTH) were newly trained to use portable echocardiography devices. Students deemed as screen-positive were referred for comprehensive echocardiography and clinical examination at UTH. Cardiac abnormalities were classified according to standard World Heart Federation criteria. Of 1102 students that were consented and screened, 53 students were referred for confirmatory echocardiography. Three students had definite RHD, 10 had borderline RHD, 29 were normal, and 11 students were lost to follow-up. The rates of definite, borderline, and total RHD were 2.7 per 1000, 9.1 per 1000, and 11.8 per 1000, respectively. Anterior mitral valve leaflet thickening and chordal thickening were the most common morphological defects. The pairwise kappa test showed fair agreement between the local radiographers and an echocardiographer quality assurance specialist. The prevalence of asymptomatic RHD in urban communities in Zambia is within the range of results reported in other sub-Saharan African countries using the WHF criteria. Task-shifting local radiographers to conduct echocardiography was feasible. The results of this study will be used to inform ongoing efforts in Zambia to control and eventually eliminate RHD. The study was registered on clinicaltrials.gov ( #NCT02661763 ).

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Mendeley readers

Mendeley readers

The data shown below were compiled from readership statistics for 88 Mendeley readers of this research output. Click here to see the associated Mendeley record.

Geographical breakdown

Country Count As %
Unknown 88 100%

Demographic breakdown

Readers by professional status Count As %
Student > Master 16 18%
Researcher 9 10%
Student > Bachelor 8 9%
Other 6 7%
Lecturer 4 5%
Other 17 19%
Unknown 28 32%
Readers by discipline Count As %
Medicine and Dentistry 27 31%
Nursing and Health Professions 10 11%
Agricultural and Biological Sciences 3 3%
Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology 2 2%
Immunology and Microbiology 2 2%
Other 13 15%
Unknown 31 35%
Attention Score in Context

Attention Score in Context

This research output has an Altmetric Attention Score of 5. This is our high-level measure of the quality and quantity of online attention that it has received. This Attention Score, as well as the ranking and number of research outputs shown below, was calculated when the research output was last mentioned on 23 July 2018.
All research outputs
#6,330,215
of 23,096,849 outputs
Outputs from BMC Cardiovascular Disorders
#302
of 1,648 outputs
Outputs of similar age
#109,618
of 327,914 outputs
Outputs of similar age from BMC Cardiovascular Disorders
#7
of 34 outputs
Altmetric has tracked 23,096,849 research outputs across all sources so far. This one has received more attention than most of these and is in the 72nd percentile.
So far Altmetric has tracked 1,648 research outputs from this source. They receive a mean Attention Score of 3.9. This one has done well, scoring higher than 81% of its peers.
Older research outputs will score higher simply because they've had more time to accumulate mentions. To account for age we can compare this Altmetric Attention Score to the 327,914 tracked outputs that were published within six weeks on either side of this one in any source. This one has gotten more attention than average, scoring higher than 66% of its contemporaries.
We're also able to compare this research output to 34 others from the same source and published within six weeks on either side of this one. This one has done well, scoring higher than 79% of its contemporaries.