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Childhood heart failure in Ibadan
1Department of Paediatrics, University College Hospital, Ibadan.
Insights
Congestive cardiac failure in children is common in Nigerian emergency pediatric practice. Preventable causes like infections and severe anemia are the leading culprits.
Area of Science:
- Pediatrics
- Cardiology
- Public Health
Background:
- Congestive cardiac failure (CCF) is a significant pediatric health concern.
- Understanding the etiological factors of CCF in children is crucial for effective management.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the causes and patterns of congestive cardiac failure in pediatric admissions.
- To identify the most frequent underlying conditions leading to heart failure in children.
Main Methods:
- A retrospective analysis of 100 consecutive pediatric admissions for congestive cardiac failure.
- Data collected over a 10-month period at University College Hospital, Ibadan.
Main Results:
- Congestive cardiac failure accounted for 5.8% of pediatric admissions.
- The primary causes identified were acute lower respiratory tract infections (36%), intrinsic heart disease (31%), and severe anemia (28%).
- Renal disorders (3%) and septicemia (2%) were less common causes.
Conclusions:
- Congestive cardiac failure is a frequent issue in Nigerian pediatric emergency care.
- A majority of pediatric heart failure cases stem from preventable conditions, highlighting the need for targeted public health interventions.
Abstract:
One hundred consecutive admissions of children with a diagnosis of congestive cardiac failure to the paediatric department of the University College Hospital, Ibadan were evaluated during a 10-month period. They were aged 8 days to 12 years. They constituted 5.8% of the total paediatric admissions during the study period. The most frequent underlying causes of heart failure were acute lower respiratory tract infections (36%), intrinsic heart disease (31%) and severe anaemia (28%). Other less common causes of heart failure were renal disorders (3%) and septiceamia (2%). Heart failure remains a common problem encountered in emergency paediatric practice in Nigeria, with the majority of cases resulting from preventable causes.