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Pulmonary Hypertension in Apparently Healthy Children in Southern Nigeria

Chika O Duru1, Patience A Udo2, Moriam O Lamina3

  • 1Department of Paediatrics and Child Health, College of Health Sciences, Niger Delta University, Amassoma, Bayelsa State, Nigeria.

Journal of the College of Physicians and Surgeons--Pakistan : JCPSP
|November 23, 2020
PubMed

Insights

Pulmonary hypertension is rare in healthy Nigerian children, affecting 2.3%. Elevated pulmonary artery systolic pressure (PASP) was more common in children with higher body mass index (BMI), though age and BMI are not optimal predictors.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric Cardiology
  • Cardiovascular Physiology
  • Diagnostic Imaging

Background:

  • Pulmonary hypertension (PH) in children can lead to significant morbidity.
  • Understanding normal pulmonary artery systolic pressure (PASP) ranges and associated factors in healthy pediatric populations is crucial for early detection.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To assess the prevalence and severity of pulmonary hypertension in apparently healthy Nigerian children.
  • To investigate the relationship between PASP, age, and body mass index (BMI) in this cohort.

Main Methods:

  • An observational study involving 470 healthy children aged 1-17 years was conducted.
  • Doppler echocardiography was used to measure tricuspid regurgitation velocity (TRV) and estimate PASP.
  • Elevated PASP was defined as ≥35 mmHg and analyzed against age and BMI.

Main Results:

  • The mean PASP was 20.45 ± 5.34 mmHg, with 2.3% of children exhibiting elevated PASP.
  • Children with elevated PASP showed significantly higher TRV and PASP compared to those with normal levels (p=0.001).
  • Elevated PASP was associated with higher weight (p<0.001), with weak correlations observed between PASP, age, and BMI across different weight categories.

Conclusions:

  • The prevalence of elevated PASP in healthy Nigerian children is low (2.3%).
  • Higher BMI was more common in children with elevated PASP.
  • Age and BMI are not reliable predictors for estimating PASP in healthy children.
Abstract

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