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Left Ventricular Thrombus among patients undergoing Transthoracic Echocardiography in a north - western Nigerian tertiary health institution


H Saidu
M.S. Mijinyawa
M.Y. Ahmad
M.U. Sani

Abstract

Objective: Left Ventricular Thrombus (LVT) is a well recognized complication of various cardiac conditions, particularly following an acute anterior myocardial infarction and in those with systolic congestive heart failure. Transthoracic echocardiography (TTE) remains the most common imaging modality to make the diagnosis of LVT. This study aims to determine the prevalence and aetiology of LVT among patients undergoing echocardiography in our centre.

Methods: We reviewed echocardiographic reports and case notes of 1012 patients aged ≥ 15 years, who had echocardiogram between September 2011 and August 2014 (3 years). The reports and case notes were reviewed for demographic parameters, indications for the procedure, main echocardiographic diagnoses, presence of LVT and the presence of associated thrombo-embolic complication. Mean±SD were derived for continuous variables and comparison was made using students't- test.

Results: The mean age of the 1,012 individuals studied was 41.28±16.25 years. There were 330 males and 682 females. 861(85.1%) had abnormal echocardiography out of which 79 (9.2%) had LVT. The highest prevalence of 61(77.2%) was observed in patients with Peripartum cardiomyopathy (PPCM), followed by Dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) 10 (12.7%). Hypertensive heart disease (HHD) accounted for 4 (5.1%) while Rheumatic heart disease (RHD) and Myocardial infarction (MI) accounted for 2 (2.5%) each.

Conclusion: LVT is common among patients undergoing echocardiography with PPCM being the most common underlying aetiology, followed by DCM.

Keywords: Prevalence, Aetiology, Left Ventricular Thrombus, Echocardiography


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print ISSN: 2360-7793