Rheumatism today is a regional problem

Abstract

Is rheumatism an actual problem today? Some would say, unlikely. But in developing countries, whose share in the world population is two-thirds, rheumatism, heart valve disease, and streptococcus infection of upper respiratory tract, remain problems still unsolved. Even in the U.S., rheumatism threat still exists, proved by late 1980s outbreak in military recruits and schoolchildren. In all countries, the number of heart valve prosthetic surgeries is very high. At the same time, indications for this intervention should be clarified, especially for patients with Stage IV heart failure and asymptomatic patients. Rheumatism prevalence in Russia is the highest after China, India and some Pacific Region countries' rates. In Mordovia, incidence of rheumatism and heart valve pathology for adults is higher, and for children is significantly lower than overall rates for Russian Federation. Data on focal infection in children and adolescents raise an issue of possible role of inadequate rheumatology training among pediatric service and primary health care professionals. Therefore, rheumatism problem remains actual, in Russia and Mordovia as well, and should be studied further. Modern telemedicine centers, with updated laboratory and instrumental equipment, rheumatology registries, and informational electronic portal, might become an effective organizational basis for primary and secondary prevention.

Keywords

• rheumatism
• heart valve pathology
• epidemiology
• treatment
• prevention
• telemedicine