Diagnosis, management and outcome of heart disease in Sudanese patients

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K M A Sulafa1, Z Karani

  • 1Department of Paediatric Cardiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Khartoum, P.O. Box 102, Khartoum, Sudan.

East African Medical Journal
|December 14, 2007
PubMed

Insights

This study evaluated congenital heart disease patients in Sudan, finding that while most diagnoses align with global data, Ebstein anomaly is more frequent. Cardiac interventions and surgeries show comparable outcomes to international standards.

Area of Science:

  • Cardiology
  • Pediatric Cardiology
  • Congenital Heart Disease

Background:

  • Congenital heart disease (CHD) presents a significant global health challenge.
  • Limited data exists on the specific epidemiology and management of CHD in Sudan.
  • Establishing robust pediatric cardiac services is crucial for improving patient outcomes.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To document the diagnosis, management strategies, and outcomes of patients with congenital heart disease at Sudan Heart Centre.
  • To assess the frequency of various types of CHD in the Sudanese population.
  • To evaluate the effectiveness of diagnostic and interventional cardiac procedures.

Main Methods:

  • A prospective follow-up study of all diagnosed congenital heart disease patients.
  • Data collection from July 2004 to June 2005 at Sudan Heart Centre.
  • Inclusion of all pediatric and adult patients managed by a single pediatric cardiologist.

Main Results:

  • 522 patients evaluated; 435 had abnormal hearts, with CHD comprising 87%.
  • Ebstein anomaly was found to be four times more frequent than reported in literature.
  • Cardiac catheterization (n=81) had a 95% success rate for interventions; surgery (n=125) had a 30-day mortality of 8.3%.

Conclusions:

  • Sudan's pediatric cardiac services, including echocardiography and cardiac catheterization, are expanding.
  • Cardiac surgical outcomes in Sudan are comparable to international benchmarks.
  • Further development of specialized pediatric cardiac care is essential for the region.
Abstract

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