FREQUENCY OF MITRAL STENOSIS IN RHEUMATIC HEART DISEASE PATIENT AMONG MALE AND FEMALE PRESENT AT TERTIARY CARE HOSPITAL

Abstract

Background: Rheumatic Heart Disease (RHD) remains a major public health problem in developing countries and is a leading cause of valvular heart disease among young and middle-aged individuals. Mitral stenosis (MS) is the most common valvular lesion associated with RHD and may vary in frequency and severity between males and females. Objective: To determine the frequency of mitral stenosis among patients with rheumatic heart disease and compare its occurrence and severity between male and female patients presenting to a tertiary care hospital. Methodology: A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted in the Department of Cardiology, Lady Reading Hospital, Peshawar. A total of 142 patients aged 15–60 years with confirmed rheumatic heart disease were included using non-probability consecutive sampling. Data were collected from hospital records and echocardiography reports and analyzed using SPSS version 25. The Chi-square test was applied to assess gender-based differences, with a p-value ≤0.05 considered statistically significant. Results: Among 142 patients, 80 (56.3%) were females and 62 (43.7%) were males, indicating a higher prevalence of rheumatic mitral stenosis among females. Mild mitral stenosis was observed in 47 (33.1%) patients, moderate in 50 (35.2%), and severe in 45 (31.7%). Females demonstrated a slightly higher frequency of both mild and severe mitral stenosis compared to males. The most common age group affected was 50–60 years (22.5%). Shortness of breath (64.8%) and fatigue (57.0%) were the most frequently reported symptoms. Overcrowding (57.7%) and previous streptococcal infection (54.9%) were the leading risk factors identified. Conclusion: Mitral stenosis is a common manifestation of rheumatic heart disease and occurs more frequently in females than males. Female patients also showed a slightly greater burden of severe disease. Early detection, timely treatment of streptococcal infections, and improved access to healthcare may help reduce the burden of rheumatic mitral stenosis and its complications.

Keywords: Rheumatic Heart Disease, Mitral Stenosis, Echocardiography, Valvular Heart Disease, Gender Distribution,