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Profile of congenital heart defects among children at Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital, Kano, Nigeria
Abstract
Background: The pattern of congenital heart diseases (CHD) varies from region to region even in the same country. Echocardiography has been available in Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital for about 10 years now but problems then were non.available of appropriate probes for children making it difficult to make some specific diagnosis. This study was undertaken to determine the types and the relative frequencies of congenital heart defects seen among children at the Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital, Kano, Nigeria.
Materials and Methods: This is a retrospective study of the echocardiographic data collected over 24 monthfs period, between October 2009 and September 2011. Information obtained from the records included age, gender, clinical diagnosis, and echocardiographic findings. Data was analyzed and expressed in frequency tables and percentages.
Results: A total of 506 children were seen. The age range was between 5 days and 15 years with a mean age of 3.29 } 2.56. A total of 173 (34.2%) had CHD. There were 104 boys and 69 girls giving a M: F ratio of 3:2. 48.6% of the children were 1 year and younger. In order of frequencies, the common CHD are ventricular septal defect (30.6%), tetralogy of fallot (16.7%), atrial septal defect (12.1%), patent ductus arteriosus (10.9%), endocardial cushion defect (8.8%), tricuspid atresia (4.6%) and truncus
arteriosus (2.3%).
Conclusions: Echocardiographic screening of the children revealed a wide variety of CHDs. VSD and TOF are the most common, accounting for about half of the cases with CHDs. There is an urgent need for government and non.government organizations to establish well.equipped cardiothoracic surgical centes across the country to cater for children with CHDs.
Materials and Methods: This is a retrospective study of the echocardiographic data collected over 24 monthfs period, between October 2009 and September 2011. Information obtained from the records included age, gender, clinical diagnosis, and echocardiographic findings. Data was analyzed and expressed in frequency tables and percentages.
Results: A total of 506 children were seen. The age range was between 5 days and 15 years with a mean age of 3.29 } 2.56. A total of 173 (34.2%) had CHD. There were 104 boys and 69 girls giving a M: F ratio of 3:2. 48.6% of the children were 1 year and younger. In order of frequencies, the common CHD are ventricular septal defect (30.6%), tetralogy of fallot (16.7%), atrial septal defect (12.1%), patent ductus arteriosus (10.9%), endocardial cushion defect (8.8%), tricuspid atresia (4.6%) and truncus
arteriosus (2.3%).
Conclusions: Echocardiographic screening of the children revealed a wide variety of CHDs. VSD and TOF are the most common, accounting for about half of the cases with CHDs. There is an urgent need for government and non.government organizations to establish well.equipped cardiothoracic surgical centes across the country to cater for children with CHDs.
