Bringing rheumatic heart disease prevention to communities in Uganda
Accelerating Delivery of rheumatic heart disease preventive iNterventions in Uganda (ADUNU)
['FUNDING_R01'] · CINCINNATI CHILDRENS HOSP MED CTR · NIH-11166473
This program will find people with rheumatic heart disease in Ugandan communities and provide regular monthly penicillin shots and follow-up care to prevent further heart damage.
Quick facts
| Phase | ['FUNDING_R01'] |
|---|---|
| Study type | Nih_funding |
| Sex | All |
| Sponsor | CINCINNATI CHILDRENS HOSP MED CTR (nih funded) |
| Locations | 1 site (CINCINNATI, UNITED STATES) |
| Trial ID | NIH-11166473 on ClinicalTrials.gov |
What this research studies
If I join, local teams will use handheld echocardiography in community settings to look for signs of rheumatic heart disease near where I live. Nurses will enroll people found to have RHD into local registries and deliver monthly intramuscular benzathine penicillin G as secondary prevention. The program will be launched in one district and then replicated in a second district to test how it works in different places. The project is designed as a real-world rollout (not randomized) and aims to create a system that the Ugandan government could expand nationally.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Children and young adults living in the participating Ugandan districts who have or are suspected to have rheumatic heart disease or a history of rheumatic fever are the ideal candidates.
Not a fit: People without RHD, those living outside the participating districts, or anyone who cannot receive intramuscular benzathine penicillin (for example due to allergy) are unlikely to benefit directly from this program.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this could help prevent further valve damage, reduce hospitalizations, and lower early death from rheumatic heart disease by making diagnosis and regular prophylaxis more accessible.
How similar studies have performed: Monthly benzathine penicillin for secondary prevention has worked in higher-income settings and handheld echocardiography screening has supporting evidence, but using both together in community-based Ugandan programs is a newer implementation.
Where this research is happening
CINCINNATI, UNITED STATES
- CINCINNATI CHILDRENS HOSP MED CTR — CINCINNATI, UNITED STATES (ACTIVE)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: BEATON, ANDREA ZAWACKI — CINCINNATI CHILDRENS HOSP MED CTR
- Study coordinator: BEATON, ANDREA ZAWACKI
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.
Conditions: Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome Virus, Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome Virus