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[Variables associated with pathologic heart murmurs in primary care consultations]
Insights
Younger age at diagnosis and louder murmurs are linked to pathological heart murmurs in infants. These findings are crucial for early detection in pediatric primary care.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Cardiology
- Neonatal Health
- Diagnostic Indicators
Context:
- Cardiac murmurs are common in infants, but distinguishing pathological from innocent murmurs is critical.
- Early identification of pathological murmurs can lead to timely intervention and improved outcomes.
- Primary care settings play a vital role in the initial assessment of pediatric cardiac conditions.
Purpose:
- To identify clinical variables associated with pathological cardiac murmurs in infants.
- To investigate the relationship between murmur characteristics and underlying cardiac pathology.
- To provide evidence-based insights for primary care physicians managing infant murmurs.
Summary:
- A retrospective study of 109 infants with cardiac murmurs found that 10.1% had pathological murmurs.
- Pathological murmurs were significantly associated with younger age at diagnosis (p=0.006) and increased murmur intensity (p=0.001).
- These findings suggest that early diagnosis and murmur intensity are key indicators of cardiac pathology in infants.
Impact:
- Highlights the importance of considering age and murmur intensity in the diagnostic workup of infant cardiac murmurs.
- Informs primary care providers on risk factors for pathological murmurs, potentially improving referral accuracy.
- Contributes to the understanding of pediatric cardiovascular health and early disease detection strategies.
Objective:
To assess the existence of variables associated to pathological murmurs in infancy.
Design:
Retrospective crossover study.
Setting:
Paediatrics clinic at Carrus Health Centre, Elche.
Participants:
109 cases of children with a cardiac murmur recorded between 1987 and 1991 were studied.
Measurements And Main Results:
The percentage of children with pathological cardiac murmurs was 10.1. An association of pathology to younger age at diagnosis (p = 0.006) and to the intensity of the murmurs (p = 0.001) was found.
Conclusions:
The frequency of pathological murmurs in our study is similar to that in other series consulted. The age of diagnosis and the intensity of the murmur appear to be variables associated to pathology in children, which should be borne in mind in Primary Care clinics.