These researchers retrospectively analysed data from 36 children (mean age 11.8 years) with acute rheumatic fever (ARF) and rheumatic heart disease (RHD) admitted to Starship Children’s cardiology ward between 2007 and 2009. All but one child was of Māori or Pacific Island ethnicity. 10 children had symptoms and signs of congestive cardiac failure on admission. The children were admitted 49 times with an average length of hospital stay of 23 days; the subset of children with ARF requiring cardiac surgery at the same admission had an average of 54 days in hospital. The total hospital cost over the 2-year period was $1,918,600.
