Association of Novel Locus With Rheumatic Heart Disease in Black African Individuals

Abstract

IMPORTANCE Rheumatic heart disease (RHD), a sequela of rheumatic fever characterized by permanent heart valve damage, is the leading cause of cardiac surgery in Africa. However, its pathophysiologic characteristics and genetics are poorly understood. Understanding genetic susceptibility may aid in prevention, control, and interventions to eliminate RHD. OBJECTIVE To identify common genetic loci associated with RHD susceptibility in Black African individuals. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTSThis multicenter case-control genome-wide association study (GWAS), the Genetics of Rheumatic Heart Disease, examined more than 7 million genotyped and imputed single-nucleotide variations. The 4809 GWAS participants and 116 independent trio families were enrolled from 8 African countries between

SARS-CoV2 infection: functional and morphological cardiopulmonary changes in elite handball players

“…The findings of this study identify spiroergometry as a valuable addition to imaging studies post COVID 4 . We screened athletes without myocarditis in the cardiac MRI using incremental cardiopulmonary exertion tests.…”

“…To this date, a validated screening strategy for myocardial effects of SARS-CoV-2 in elite athletes is missing. Specifically, the usefulness of spiroergometry for the evaluation post COVID-19 has not been assessed 4 .…”

“…Athletes with persistent symptoms for weeks and months after SARS-CoV-2 infection are reported in the literature 6 . Additionally, a cohort study of 1597 athletes of the Big Ten American football conference identified 37 athletes (2.3%) with signs of clinical or subclinical myocarditis 4 . Cardiac MRI is very sensitive, but not readily available for screening of athletes all over the world.…”

Advanced cardiac imaging in athlete’s heart: unravelling the grey zone between physiologic adaptation and pathology

“…During the COVID-19 pandemic, signs of myocardial inflammation in asymptomatic or mildly symptomatic competitive athletes after COVID-19 were identified at CMR with variable prevalence (0%-15%) [ 70 ]. In a large cohort of 1597 US competitive collegiate athletes positive by polymerase chain reaction for SARS-CoV-2, CMR with updated LLC was found to improve the detection of myocarditis from 0.31%, based on symptom-based screening strategy, to 7.4% and 2.3% in clinical and subclinical myocarditis [ 70 ].…”

“…However, based on the additional information provided by CMR in SARS-CoV2 positive athletes, also in absence of other cardiac tests abnormalities, the potential benefit of CMR screening protocols has been advocated, and in particular the value of CMR imaging, prior to returning to sport after COVID-19 infection [ 70 ].…”