Spectrum and Clinical Presentation of Congenital Heart Defects Seen in Nigerian Children

A bstract Background: Congenital heart disease (CHD) is the most common cardiac pathology in the pediatric age group. Objectives: This study aimed to determine the prevalence, spectrum, and clinical presentation of CHDs in children referred for echocardiography in Port Harcourt, Nigeria. Materials and Methods: This was a retrospective study of the echocardiography laboratory register from the pediatric cardiology unit of two referral hospitals in Port Harcourt, Nigeria, from September 2019 to August 2024. All the first-time echocardiography results were collated, and information on the patient’s biodata and clinical findings was extracted and analyzed. Results: A total of 281 first-time echocardiographies were done on children aged 1 day to 17 years, 183 (65.1%) had CHD. Acyanotic CHD was the most common type, 131 (71.6%). The CHD with the highest prevalence was patent ductus arteriosus in 83 (45.4%), followed by atrial septal defect (ASD) in 77 (42.1%) and ventricular septal defect in 58 (31.7%). Tetralogy of fallot was the most common type of cyanotic CHD, 29 (15.8%). The median age at which diagnosis of CHD was made was 4 (interquartile range 1.5–17) months. The common clinical presentations of patients with CHD were cardiac murmur in 97 (53%), tachypnea in 75 (44.9%) and failure to thrive in 52 (28.4%). Conclusion: Patent ductus arteriosus, ASD, and ventricular septal defect are the common CHD seen in children referred for echocardiography. There is a delay in identifying children with CHD. Implementation of prenatal diagnosis and pulse oximeter screening of newborns would help in early diagnosis, facilitate prompt treatment, and lead to better outcomes.