PATTERN OF HEART DISEASES IN CHILDREN OVER FIVE YEARS PERIOD IN JIMMA UNIVERSITY HOSPITAL A RETROSPECTIVE STUDY.

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Tewodros Malede(MD)
Abraham Haileamlak
Doyo Gragn

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Cardiovascular diseases are highly prevalent and leading causes of death in the developed nations. Worldwide, the pattern and type of cardiovascular diseases in children is different from that of adults. Most heart problems in children being due to congenital heart defects in developed counties while rheumatic heart diseases in developing countries. METHODS: A retrospective study on was conducted with the aim of determining the pattern of pediatrics heart diseases and its relative prevalence in Jimma University Hospital during September 1998 to August 2002.


RESULTS: During the study period, 254 new cardiac patients were examined and investigated. The age ranged 3 months to 14 years with median age of 7 years. The male to female ratio was 0.79:1. Of the 254 children, 178 (70%) had acquired heart diseases and 76 (30%) patients had congenital heart diseases. Among children who were diagnosed to have acquired heart diseases 132 (74.5%) had rheumatic and 46 (25.5%) non-rheumatic origin heart diseases. Among those who had congenital heart diseases, ventricular septal defect was the most common lesion, affecting 47 (62%) children followed by tetraogy of Fallot, which affected 12 (16%) children. Eighteen percent of children with heart diseases defaulted from regular follow up.


CONCLUSION: This study showed that high relative prevalence of heart diseases with increasing trend of new cases, affection of more girls than boys, high defaulter rate from follow up and majorities of the cases from rural area. Acquired heart diseases, in particular rheumatic heart diseases continue to be an important cause of suffering among children. Rheumatic heart diseases being the commonest problem identified during the study period. preventive measure should be done by educating and raising awareness of the community about primary prevention and the danger of the disease and of course the advantage of follow up for those with heart diseases.

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Author Biography

Abraham Haileamlak, Jimma University

Corresponding Author: Abraham Haileamlak, P.O.Box: 378, Jimma University; Email:
asratab@yahoo.com; Tel: 251 47 1112210 (office).

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