Background: Echocardiographic screening represents an opportunity for reduction in the global burden of rheumatic heart disease. A focussed single-view screening protocol could allow for the rapid training of healthcare providers and screening of patients.
Objective: The aim of this study was to determine the sensitivity and specificity of a focussed single-view hand-held echocardiographic protocol for the diagnosis of rheumatic heart disease in children.
Methods: A total of nine readers were divided into three reading groups; each interpreted 200 hand-held echocardiography studies retrospectively as screen-positive, if mitral regurgitation ⩾1.5 cm and/or any aortic insufficiency were observed, or screen-negative from a pooled study library. The performance of experts receiving focussed hand-held protocols, non-experts receiving focussed hand-held protocols, and experts receiving complete hand-held protocols were determined in comparison with consensus interpretations on fully functional echocardiography machines.
Results: In all, 587 studies including 76 on definite rheumatic heart disease, 122 on borderline rheumatic heart disease, and 389 on normal cases were available for analysis. The focussed single-view protocol had a sensitivity of 81.1%, specificity of 75.5%, negative predictive value of 88.5%, and a positive predictive value of 63.2%; expert readers had higher specificity (86.1 versus 64.8%, p<0.01) but equal sensitivity. Sensitivity - experts, 96% and non-experts, 95% - and negative predictive value - experts, 99% and non-experts, 98% - were better for definite rheumatic heart disease. False-positive screening studies resulting from erroneous identification of mitral regurgitation and aortic insufficiency colour jets increased with shortened protocols and less experience (p<0.01).
Conclusion: Our data support a focussed screening protocol limited to parasternal long-axis images. This holds promise in making echocardiographic screening more practical in regions where rheumatic heart disease remains endemic.
Keywords: Rheumatic heart disease; hand-held echocardiography; task shifting.