Pattern of Cardiac Diseases and Diagnostic Utility of Transthoracic Echocardiography in Delta State University Teaching Hospital, Oghara, Nigeria

Abstract

Introduction: Transthoracic echocardiography is a non-invasive tool used to assess cardiac structure and function. Information obtained can guide  patient management. This study aim to describe cardiac anomalies encountered and the usefulness of transthoracic echocardiography in Delta State  University eaching Hospital(DELSUTH), Nigeria.

Materials and Methods: This study is retrospective observational in design. Echocardiograms of subjects aged 18years and above performed between  August 2011 and April 2014 at the echocardiographic laboratory in DELSUTH using Xario diagnostic ultrasound system (model SSA-660A, Toshiba Medical Systems, Inc.) were reviewed. The data obtained was analyzed for age, sex, clinical indication and echocardiographic findings using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 16.

Results: Five hundred and ninety seven echocardiogram reports were reviewed comprising of 343 males(57.5%). The age range was 18-90years  (mean=54.2±16.6years). The commonest indication for echocardiography was hypertension 289(48.4%). Others were non-cardiac pre-operative  evaluation 77(12.9%), chest pain 49(8.2%), dilated cardiomyopathy(DCM) 37(6.2%), congestive cardiac failure 33(5.5%), rheumatic heart disease(RHD)  32(5.4%), routine medical examination 28(4.7%) and chronic kidney disease 20(3.4%). Hypertensive heart disease(HHD) 274(45.9%) was the commonest  echocardiographic diagnosis. Others were DCM 48(8.0%), RHD 43(7.2%), cor-pulmonale 18(3.0%), pericardial diseases 4(0.7%) and ischemic heart disease  2(0.3%). Out of the 205(34.3%) subjects with normal study, 75 were hypertensive. The sensitivity and specificity of clinical diagnosis of HHD, DCM and RHD  were 76.8%, 33.3% and 44.2% respectively and 71.5%, 96.2% and 97.7% respectively.

Conclusion: This study reaffirms hypertensive heart disease as  the commonest cardiac abnormality among adults in Nigeria and the importance of echocardiography as a diagnostic tool in cardiology.