"Cardiac lesions in ""Trisomy 21"" Ghanaian children."

ABSTRACT

In a period of over 21 years; from January 1972 - April 1993; fifty (50) cases of Down's Syndrome patients with congenital heart diseases were registered in the paediatric cardiac clinic at the Department of Child Health; Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital (KBTH); Accra; Ghana. There were in all 1317 patients; registered with congenital heart diseases (CHD). The frequency ratio of Down's Syndrome patients with CHD against phenotypical normal patients with CHD is 126.3. Their ages at registration ranged from new-born to 8 years. Twenty-nine (58 per cent) were males and females were 21 (42 per cent). Eighty-two per cent (82 per cent) presented in early infancy. Three cases (6 per cent) in this group died. The two commonest lesions diagnosed in them were atrioventricular septal defect (AVSD) and ventricular septal defect (VSD). Sixty per cent (60 per cent) were in congestive heart failure (CHF) and 76 per cent reported because of cyanosis. These findings are in consonance with world-wide literature reports