Schistosomiasis & Heart - On Behalf of the Neglected Tropical Diseases and other Infectious Diseases affecting the Heart (the NET-Heart Project)

Background: Schistosomiasis is a Neglected Tropical Disease which may lead to cardiovascular (CV) complications. However, the CV involvement in schistosomiasis has yet to be fully elucidated due to the limited number of cases and lack of reliable evidence, as schistosomiasis typically occurs in locations without adequate infrastructure for robust data collection.

Objective: This systematic review aims to assess cardiovascular implications of schistosomiasis, including in the diagnosis and treatment, and propose an algorithm for screening of CV manifestations.

Methods: A systematic review was performed in the MEDLINE/PubMed and LILACS databases of articles on the CV involvement in schistosomiasis.

Results: Thirty-three records were considered for this review: six review articles, one systematic review, one clinical trial, 14 observational studies, seven case reports, and four cases series. CV involvement includes a wide spectrum of clinical conditions, such as myocardial ischemia, ventricular dysfunction, myocarditis, pulmonary arterial hypertension, and pericarditis.

Conclusions: Cardiac complications of schistosomiasis may cause long-term disability and death. Clinical monitoring, physical examination, early electrocardiogram, and echocardiogram should be considered as key measures to detect CV involvement. Due to the lack of effective treatment of complications, sanitation and education in endemic areas are necessary for the elimination of this global health problem.