الفهرس 
Material and methodsOnly 14 pages are availabe for public view
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Abstract
Rheumatic valvular heart disease has long been know to be the most common cause of acquired heart disease particularly in developing countries such as Egypt. The mitral and aortic valves are the common targets of rheumatic affection, however accumulating data suggest a significant prevalence of TV affection as well.
Among patients with chronic rheumatic valvular disease, TV affection occurs mostly secondary to left-sided valvular lesions nevertheless organic leaflet affection accounts for a good percentage of patients with rheumatic tricuspid valve disease.
Our study aimed at identifying the features of rheumatic TV affection among Egypt patients with chronic rheumatic heart disease.
The study included 100 Egyptian patients with chronic rheumatic heart disease who were subject to full clinical assessment, chest X-ray, electrocardiography and extensive echo-Doppler study.
Echocardiographic evaluation emphasized upon morphologic characteristics of TV determined by 2D and M mode examinations as well as characteristics of flow across the valve determined by Doppler spectral tracing and color flow mapping.
It was evident from the study that organic TV disease affects a good percentage of Egyptian patients with chronic rheumatic valvulitis (17%) all of whom have associated mitral valve disease.
Tricuspid regurgitation was found with a relatively high frequency among Egyptian rheumatic patients and its severity related to increasing
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pulmonary artery pressure, dilatation of the TV annulus and decreasing right ventricular ejection fraction.
It was also found that the severity of Tricuspid Regurgitation significantly correlated with organic TV affection. So, it seems that rheumatic TV Regurgitation rests on both functional and organic bases.
Atrial fibrillation was found with a high frequency among patients with tricuspid regurgitation.
We recommend that patients with chronic rheumatic heart disease should be thoroughly evaluated laying stress upon the presence, nature and severity of TV affection specially those who will undergo surgical management for left sided valvular lesion.