Left ventricular noncompaction in Ibadan, Nigeria
Okechukwu Samuel Ogah1,2, Efosa P Iyawe3, Olanike Allison Orimolade4
1Cardiology Unit, Department of Medicine, Faculty of Clinical Sciences, College of Medicine,, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria. osogah56156@gmail.com.
Insights
Left ventricular noncompaction (LVNC) cardiomyopathy is increasingly diagnosed. This study reports 9 cases, with heart failure being the most common presentation and beta-blockers proving useful in management.
Area of Science:
- Cardiology
- Cardiovascular Imaging
- Internal Medicine
Background:
- Advances in cardiac imaging have increased left ventricular noncompaction (LVNC) diagnoses.
- LVNC can present asymptomatically or with severe complications like heart failure, arrhythmias, and thromboembolism.
- Diagnosis is typically via echocardiography, with cardiac MRI offering higher resolution.
Purpose of the Study:
- To report a series of 9 cases of LVNC cardiomyopathy diagnosed at University College Hospital, Ibadan.
- To describe the clinical presentation, comorbidities, and management of LVNC patients in this setting.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective review of 9 LVNC cases diagnosed via echocardiography.
- Data collected included patient demographics, clinical presentation, comorbidities, ejection fraction, and non-compacted to compacted segment ratio.
- Management strategies, including medication use, were analyzed.
Main Results:
- Six men and three women presented with LVNC, with a mean age of 52.89 years.
- Heart failure was the most common presentation (6 patients), and hypertension was the most frequent comorbidity (6 patients).
- Mean non-compacted to compacted segment ratio was 2.80, with LV lateral wall and apex being common trabecular localization sites. Beta-blockers were beneficial.
Conclusions:
- LVNC cardiomyopathy is not uncommon in the studied environment.
- A high index of suspicion is necessary for timely diagnosis and management of LVNC.
Background:
There has been an increase in the reporting of cases of left ventricular noncompaction (LVNC) cardiomyopathy in medical literature due to advances in medical imaging. Patients with LVNC may be asymptomatic or may present with arrhythmias, heart failure, thromboembolism or sudden death. LVNC is typically diagnosed by echocardiography, although there are higher-resolution cardiac imaging techniques such as cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to make the diagnosis. The objective of the study is to report on a series of 9 cases of LVNC cardiomyopathy seen at the University College Hospital, Ibadan. Cases of LVNC seen between September 1, 2015 and July 31, 2022 in our echocardiography service is being reported.
Results:
There were a total of 6 men and 3 women. Mean age at presentation was 52.89 ± 15.02 years. The most common mode of presentation was heart failure (6 patients). Hypertension was the most common comorbidity (6 patients). Three patients had an ejection fraction of less than 40% and the mean ratio of noncompacted to compacted segment at end-systole was 2.80 ± 0.48. The most common areas of trabecular localization were the LV lateral wall and the apex. Beta blockers were highly useful in the management of the patients.
Conclusions:
LVNC cardiomyopathy is not uncommon in our environment and a high index of suspicion is often required.
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