Determinants of Left Ventricular Mass Among Apparently Normal Children in Enugu State

Josephat Maduabuchi Chinawa1, Edmund Ndudi Ossai2, Awoere Tamunosiki Chinawa3

  • 1Department of Paediatrics, College of Medicine, University of Nigeria Ituku/Ozalla and University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital Ituku/Ozalla Enugu State.

Insights

Left ventricular mass index (LVMI) is vital for pediatric risk stratification. This study found a 5.0% prevalence of left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) in Nigerian children, with significant correlations between LVMI and weight, BMI, and surface area.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric Cardiology
  • Cardiovascular Health
  • Biostatistics

Background:

  • Left ventricular mass (LVM) index is critical for risk stratification in children.
  • Assessing LVM and left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) prevalence is essential for pediatric cardiac care.
  • Understanding normative LVM values aids in diagnosing pediatric cardiovascular conditions.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To document Left Ventricular Mass (LVM) values in children from Southeast Nigeria.
  • To determine the prevalence of Left Ventricular Hypertrophy (LVH) in healthy Nigerian children.
  • To explore correlations between Left Ventricular Mass Index (LVMI) and factors like age, gender, and height.

Main Methods:

  • A descriptive study involving 218 children across three hospitals over six years.
  • Echocardiographic measurements were used to assess LVH parameters and indices.
  • Data analysis was performed using IBM SPSS Statistics for Windows, version 20.

Main Results:

  • The prevalence of left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) was found to be 5.0% among the studied children.
  • Strong positive correlations were observed between left ventricular mass and surface area (r=0.751, p<0.001), weight (r=0.755, p<0.001), and BMI (r=0.34, p=0.004).
  • A positive correlation was noted between left ventricular mass and height (r=0.126, p=0.238).

Conclusions:

  • This study established mean normative values for LVM indexed to height, BMI, surface area, and weight in Nigerian children.
  • These normative values can assist cardiothoracic surgeons and pediatric cardiologists in clinical decision-making.
  • The findings highlight the importance of LVM assessment for pediatric cardiovascular risk stratification.
Abstract

Related Concept Videos

Cardiomyopathy III: Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy01:29

Cardiomyopathy III: Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy

Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, or HCM, is an autosomal dominant genetic disorder characterized by asymmetric left ventricular hypertrophy without ventricular dilation. It is more common in men and is typically diagnosed in young, athletic adults.EtiologyHCM is primarily genetic and is caused by mutations in genes encoding sarcomeric proteins. Researchers have identified over 1400 mutations across at least 11 different genes. Among these, the most frequently occurring mutations are found in the...
52
Regulation of Stroke Volume01:27

Regulation of Stroke Volume

The regulation of stroke volume, which is the amount of blood the heart pumps out during each heartbeat, is critical for maintaining a healthy circulatory system. Stroke volume is influenced by three main factors: preload, contractility, and afterload.
Preload refers to the degree of stretch on the heart before it contracts. It's analogous to the stretching of a rubber band; the more it's stretched, the more forcefully it snaps back. This concept is encapsulated in the Frank-Starling law of the...
3.5K
Lung Capacity01:47

Lung Capacity

The air in the lungs is measured in volumes and capacities. Lung volume measures reflect the amount of air taken in, released, or left over after a lung function, like a single inhalation. Lung capacity measures are sums of two or more lung volume measures.
51.5K
Variation: Normal Distribution, Range, and Standard Deviation02:32

Variation: Normal Distribution, Range, and Standard Deviation

In the field of psychology, there are several ways to organize measurements of a trait, feature, or characteristic (i.e., variables). Qualitative data, such as ethnicity, can be tabulated into a frequency count to provide information about the proportion, as well as the variety of groups in a sample or population. On the other hand, researchers can perform a wider set of calculations on quantitative data. The mean, mode, and median, for instance, are central tendency measures to identify a...
22.6K
Factors Affecting Pulmonary Ventilation01:19

Factors Affecting Pulmonary Ventilation

Besides the pressure difference between the external environment and the lungs, the airflow rate and ease of pulmonary ventilation are also influenced by three other factors: surface tension of the fluid in the alveoli, compliance of the lungs, and airway resistance.
Alveolar Surface Tension
The alveolar fluid lines the luminal surface of the alveoli and exerts a force called surface tension. This force is caused by the polar water molecules in the liquid being more strongly attracted to each...
1.6K
Imbalances in Cardiac Output01:26

Imbalances in Cardiac Output

The heart's primary function is to pump blood throughout the body, maintaining a balance between blood sent out (cardiac output) and blood returning (venous return). If this balance is disrupted, it can result in congestive heart failure (CHF), a severe condition where the heart becomes an inefficient pump, leading to inadequate blood circulation.
CHF can occur due to the failure of either side of the heart. Left-side failure leads to pulmonary congestion—the right side continues to send...
1.5K