Detecting sub-clinical disease activity in patients with chronic rheumatic valvular heart disease

摘要

Valve disease progression in rheumatic heart disease(RHD) is generally attributed to recurrent attacks of acute rheumatic fever(ARF). However, persistence of chronic sub-clinical inflammation remains a plausible but unproven cause. Non-invasive means to identify sub-clinical inflammation may facilitate research efforts towards understanding its contribution to disease progression.