WHAT IS KESHAN DISEASE: SYMPTOMS, CAUSES, DIAGNOSIS, AND MORE

Keshan disease is a kind of cardiomyopathy, which refers to disorders affecting the heart muscle. It might be caused by a selenium deficit.

According to a 2012 research, Keshan disease affects around 2.21 percent of the Chinese population, equal to approximately 1,675,500 cases nationally.

Keshan disease is a dangerous disorder that, if left untreated, can lead to cardiovascular disease, stroke, malignancy, or death. Although it is not fully prevented, Keshan disease is frequently curable or at the very least controllable.

The first instance of Keshan sickness was discovered in 1935 in Keshan, China's Heilongjiang province. People have reported it in 14 provinces throughout the nation since then. The majority of reported occurrences have happened in rural, mountainous locations, where much of the population confronts financial challenges or has limited access to fundamental requirements such as education, health care, shelter, and income.

Keshan illness can affect anybody, however it is particularly common in males and pregnant women. Overall, 13.6 percent of all instances Trusted Source involve persons under the age of 30, indicating that the ailment is still widespread today.

Keshan illness affects at least ten people out of every 100,000 each year. However, the illness was most severe in Yunnan, China, during the 1960s. At the time, there were around 100 cases per 100,000 persons, with a 98 percent fatality rate.

Keshan disease is a major public health concern. According to research, the illness is caused by environmental and biological causes. Despite this, there is still a lack of knowledge about the disease and its national and worldwide consequences.

WHAT ARE THE SYMPTOMS OF KESHAN DISEASE?

Keshan disease is classified into four types: acute, subacute, chronic, and latent. Individuals' symptoms differ based on the kind.

• Acute: Acute Keshan disease can cause cardiogenic shock, severe arrhythmia, and heart failure. Nausea, dizziness, chills, shortness of breath, and lack of appetite are common early symptoms.

• Subacute: Subacute Keshan disease symptoms include congestive heart failure, cardiogenic shock, and heart enlargement. This kind is particularly prevalent in youngsters aged 2 to 5 years.

• Chronic: Keshan disease advances slowly in most cases. Acute or subacute Keshan disease might progress to a chronic form. Individual symptoms may include dilated heart chambers, congestive or chronic heart failure, or both. Some persons develop shortness of breath, fainting episodes, or hemoptysis (coughing up blood).

• Latent: Individuals with latent Keshan disease may be unaware of their condition until a normal autopsy after death shows its existence. Those who do encounter symptoms may endure dizziness, heart palpitations, or weariness. An electrocardiogram (EKG) exam may also show abnormal changes due to the disease.

Typical signs and symptoms

Other symptoms shared by all kinds of Keshan disease include:

• Aches and pains in the body

• Fever

• Vomiting or nausea

• Hypertension

• Stroke

• Fatigue

• Inflammation

• Hair thinning

• Coagulation of the blood

• Heart disease

• Heart enlargement

Although all four kinds of Keshan disease exist today, there have been few reports of acute or subacute instances. The chronic and latent types, on the other hand, are the most prominent.

WHAT ARE THE CAUSES OF KESHAN DISEASE?

Keshan disease is thought to be caused by a number of factors, including:

• Selenium deficiency

• Toxins in the environment

• Viral or fungal infection

• Malnutrition

• Seasonal changes

Although evidence is still unclear, a lack of the trace mineral selenium is the most likely cause of the illness.

Several studies have connected soil selenium deficiency to endemic illnesses such as Keshan disease. The fact that the ailment is more frequent in areas with low selenium levels in the soil, and consequently in the food that grows in it, lends credence to this notion.

A selenium shortage may not be sufficient to develop Keshan disease. However, it may contribute to the existence and mutation of coxsackievirus B3 (CVB3). CVB3 is a human disease or virus that has been associated by researchers to acute heart failure and cardiac arrhythmia, particularly in the absence of selenium.

According to one study, 80 percent of persons with chronic Keshan illness and 83 percent of people with acute Keshan disease had a mutant version of CVB3. This suggests that persons who had the virus and lacked selenium were more likely to acquire the disorder.

WHAT ARE THE TREATMENTS FOR KESHAN DISEASE?

Keshan illness is frequently treatable with adequate care. It may even be reversible in some situations.

One of the most effective ways to treat selenium shortage is with an inorganic selenium compound called sodium selenite. Long-term oral sodium selenite supplementation may reverse illness effects or make symptoms more bearable.

A well-balanced diet rich in important vitamins and minerals may also aid in the management of the illness. Foods high in selenium include:

• Eggs

• Tuna

• Cod

• Onions

• Garlic

• Breast of chicken

• Oatmeal

• Brown rice or white rice

There is some evidence that adding astragalus root to the soil may be beneficial in locations where selenium levels are low. This method may be effective because the root may absorb selenium from the surrounding soil. This may improve the mineral's availability to other food plants.

A person with Keshan disease may require cardiac surgery, such as a stent, implant, or heart transplant, in addition to taking nutritional supplements or consuming plants grown in enriched soil. This criterion, however, is uncommon.

There is currently no effective therapy for Keshan illness. Anyone who feels they have the illness should speak with a doctor about their concerns and next measures.

HOW CAN KESHAN DISEASE BE PREVENTED?

Because the specific origin of Keshan disease is unclear, there are no failsafe prevention strategies available. People can, however, lower their chances of having the illness by doing the following:

• Ingesting an abundance of selenium-rich foods

• Consuming a well-balanced diet and, if required, consulting with a doctor or nutritionist to develop a tailored diet

• Consultation with a physician at the first indication of any connected symptoms

• Taking a selenium supplement on a daily basis or an inorganic selenium compound, such as sodium selenite

• Determining the content of selenium in soil at food growing and harvesting sites

• Increased participation in improving the socioeconomic position of persons in high-risk regions may also aid in prevention.

CONCLUSION

Keshan disease is an endemic cardiomyopathy that is fatal. It is especially common in low-income, rural parts of China, as well as locations with selenium-deficient soil.

Among other things, the syndrome can induce acute or congestive heart failure, a weakening heart wall, and cardiac arrhythmia. Low blood pressure, nausea, fever or chills, body pains, and weariness are some of the first symptoms.