Table 1

Description of the patients’ population

CharacteristicsAllMalesFemalesP values
Age
 Children (<15 years)*8 (15%)3 (21%)5 (12%)
 Adults46 (85%)11 (79%)35 (88%)0.41*
Location of the healthcare facility
 Butaro20 (37%)4 (29%)16 (40%)
 Kirehe20 (37%)5 (36%)15 (37%)
 Rwinkwavu14 (26%)5 (36%)9 (23%)0.67*
Income level—floor is made of dirt at home
 No9 (21%)09 (26%)
 Yes34 (79%)8 (100%)26 (74%)0.17*
Marital status
 Single20 (59%)6 (60%)14 (58%)
 Married12 (35%)4 (40%)8 (33%)
 Divorced2 (6%)02 (8%)1.00*
Occupation
 Farmer20 (41%)5 (42%)15 (40%)
 In school14 (29%)2 (17%)12 (32%)
 Professional3 (6%)03 (8%)
 Unemployed/out of school12 (24%)5 (43%)7 (19%)0.40*
Preoperative diagnosis and operation
Symptoms (NYHA) preoperationn=48n=12n=36
 Stage II8 (17%)5 (42%)3 (8%)
 Stage III25 (52%)3 (25%)22 (61%)
 Stage IV15 (31%)4 (33%)11 (31%)0.02*
Single valven=28n=6n=23
 Pure MR20 (69%)4 (67%)16 (69.6%)
  Pure MS4 (13.8%)1 (17%)3 (13%)
  Mixed MR+MS2 (10.3%)03 (13%)
  Pure AR2 (6.9%)1 (17%)1 (4.4%)0.65*
≥2 valvesn=25n=8n=17
 Mixed MR+TR12 (48%)1 (13%)11 (64.7%)
  Mixed MR+AR4 (16%)4 (50%)0
  Mixed MS+TR4 (16%)04 (23.5%)
  Mixed MR+MS+TR3 (12%)1 (13%)2 (11.8%)
 Mixed MS+TR+AR2 (8%)2 (25%)0<0.01*
Location of the surgical site
 Rwanda40 (82%)12 (92%)28 (78%)
 Sudan6 (12%)1 (8%)5 (14%)
 South Africa1 (2%)01 (3%)
 India2 (4%)02 (6%)0.87*
Number of valves replacementn=54n=14n=40
 130 (56%)7 (50%)23 (58%)
 222 (41%)5 (36%)17 (42%)
 32 (4%)2 (14%)01.0*
Postoperation
Symptoms (NYHA) postoperationn=53n=13n=40
 Stage I41 (77%)11 (85%)30 (75%)
 Stage II10 (19%)2 (15%)8 (20%)
 Stage IV2 (4%)02 (5%)1.00*
  • *Fisher’s exact test.

  • AR, aortic regurgitation; MR, mitral regurgitation; MS, mitral stenosis; NYHA, New York Heart  Association; TR, tricuspid regurgitation.