Pattern of congenital heart disease in Ilorin, Nigeria

Abstract

Aims and objectives: This study aimed at determining the frequencies and pattern of congenital heart lesions among patients who had echocardiographic scan for various cardiovascular-related complaints at the University of Ilorin Teaching Hospital, Nigeria.

Patients and methods: All patients referred for echocardiography between May 2004 and April 2007 for various cardiovascular complaints were reviewed. Patients diagnosed with congenital heart disease were selected and analysed for frequencies of lesions, sex ratio and mean age.

Results: Seventy-six patients with a diagnosis of congenital heart disease were reviewed. Ventricular septal defect was the commonest lesion; seen in 27.6% of patients followed by atrial septal defect (21.1%), patent ductus arteriosus (13.1%) and tetralogy of Fallot (11.8%). Others were dextrocardia with situs inversus (6.6%) and bicuspid aortic valve (2.6%).

Conclusion: The distribution of congenital heart lesions is similar to that reported from other parts of the world except for higher frequency of atrial septal defect and lower incidence of bicuspid aortic valve. There has been an improvement in diagnosis of CHD in the middle belt of Nigeria due to availability of echocardiographic imaging facility even though most patients have no access to surgical correction.