Table 2.

Diagnostic criteria for rheumatic heart disease in adults

Definite Rheumatic Heart Disease with Physical Findings

Structural abnormalities of the mitral valve compatible with rheumatic heart disease and the presence of a heart murmur thought to be of valvular origin. The criteria were otherwise the same as for the pediatric study (see Table 1). Aortic valve thickening with aortic regurgitation, in the absence of rheumatic changes of the mitral valve, were not considered diagnostic of rheumatic heart disease.

Definite Rheumatic Heart Disease without Physical Findings

Echo-Doppler evidence of anatomic changes of the mitral valve compatible with rheumatic heart disease (see Table 1) in the absence of a murmur thought to be of valvular origin. Aortic valve thickening with aortic regurgitation were not accepted diagnostic criteria in the absence of rheumatic changes of the mitral valve.