Hemodynamic factors and many other factors can compromise growth in children with rheumatic heart disease. Yet, definitive studies to investigate the relationship between growth and severity of the cardiovascular disease have not been reported in this group of patients. Our objective was to find possible associations between growth parameters and echocardiographic parameters of different cardiac lesions in children with compensated rheumatic heart disease.Subjects and Methods Two hundred children with rheumatic heart disease aged five to twelve years were compared with 400 matched healthy controls. Anthropometric parameters were measured. Using echocardiography, the values of: Left Ventricular End Diastolic diameter (LVEDd), Left Ventricular End Systolic diameter (LVESd), Ejection Fraction (EF), and Fractional Shortening (FS) were obtained.ResultsRheumatic heart patients had statistically significant lower anthropometric values than controls. Patients suffering from mixed valvular lesions had generally lower anthropometric values than those suffering from isolated valvular lesion. Patients suffering from moderate and severe degrees had significantly lower values in all anthropometric measurements than those suffering from mild degree.ConclusionThe study revealed a significant decrease in anthropometric parameters in RHD than in controls, indicating that malnutrition and growth retardation are prevailing in RHD patients.