Acute rheumatic fever (ARF) and its sequela rheumatic heart disease (RHD) remain significant causes of morbidity and mortality. In New Zealand, ARF almost exclusively affects Indigenous Māori and Pacific children. This narrative review aims to present secondary interventions to improve early and accurate diagnosis of ARF and RHD, in order to minimise disease progression in New Zealand. Medline, EMBASE and Scopus databases were searched as well as other electronic publications. Included were 56 publications from 1980 onwards. Diagnosing ARF and RHD as early as possible is central to reducing disease progression. Recent identification of specific ARF biomarkers offer the opportunity to aid initial diagnosis and portable echocardiography has the potential to detect undiagnosed RHD in high-risk areas. However, further research into the benefits and risks to children with subclinical RHD is necessary, as well as an economic evaluation.

中文翻译：

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作为二级预防策略一部分的急性风湿热和风湿性心脏病的早期诊断：叙述性审查

急性风湿热 (ARF) 及其后遗症风湿性心脏病 (RHD) 仍然是发病率和死亡率的重要原因。在新西兰，ARF 几乎只影响土著毛利人和太平洋地区的儿童。该叙述性综述旨在提出二级干预措施，以改善 ARF 和 RHD 的早期和准确诊断，以最大程度地减少新西兰的疾病进展。检索了 Medline、EMBASE 和 Scopus 数据库以及其他电子出版物。其中包括 1980 年以后的 56 篇出版物。尽早诊断 ARF 和 RHD 是减少疾病进展的关键。最近对特定 ARF 生物标志物的鉴定提供了辅助初步诊断的机会，便携式超声心动图有可能在高风险地区检测未确诊的 RHD。然而，