Normalization of Cardiac Structural dimension and Function to Body Surface Area in South East Nigeria Children.

BACKGROUND: Standardizing cardiac valve structures and function to body surface area will help the clinician and surgeons in decision-making. AIM: To evaluate the z-scores of the sizes of cardiac structures and function and to present them in Gaussian curves and reference values. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This was a cross-sectional study that involved 300 apparently healthy children. This study was performed among healthy children from birth to 18 years. Children with a normal echocardiogram, those with no chronic illness, no congenital heart defect, and no acquired heart defect were included in the study. RESULT: The majority fell within the normal limits, as shown in the Gaussian curves. For instance, 40 (13.3%) of atrioventricular (AV) valve diameters were +1 Z-score above the normal, and only 5 (1.7%) were +2 Z-score above the normal. About 9.3% (28/300) had below -2 Z-score below normal, while only 5% had -1 Z-score below normal. Similarly, the left ventricular function z-scores were also derived at -3 Z-scores to +3 Z-scores. The standard reference values were compared with the results obtained from our Z score values. There was no significant difference noted in the Z-scores. P values ranged from 0.07 to 0.84 for all the cardiac structures except for gender, where Z-scores of the mitral valve and left pulmonary artery varied significantly (P = 0.02). CONCLUSION: Reference values of cardiac structure and function were presented using Z scores, and we noted no significant difference when compared with the Western standard values except for the mitral valve and left pulmonary artery.

Pre-operative 2-D transthoracic echocardiographic diagnosis with intra-operative findings of children with structural heart diseases: A comparative analysis.

Background: Structural heart disease is a major cause of morbidity and mortality in children. Echocardiography is accepted as the first line cost-effective diagnostic modality for pre-operative assessment of children with structural heart diseases. Two-dimensional transthoracic echocardiography (2-D TTE) may be the only diagnostic tool in a resource-poor environment where further investigations may be very expensive and not readily available. Aim: The aim of the study is to determine the degree of accuracy of pre-operative 2-D echocardiographic diagnosis with eventual surgical (intra-operative) findings among children with structural heart diseases with a view to audit the echocardiographic diagnoses and final surgical diagnoses among the patients in the University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital Ituku-Ozalla Enugu, a tertiary cardiothoracic center in Enugu, South-east Nigeria. Patients and Methods: 2-D TEE (GE Model) diagnosis of all the children that had cardiac surgery at University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital (UNTH) Ituku/Ozalla Enugu over a 3-year period was studied. All the patients had at least two echocardiographic sessions and results were recorded in a proforma. Surgical findings were obtained from post-operative surgical notes. Intra-operative findings were compared with 2-D TTE findings. Data were analyzed using SPSS version 20. The degree of accuracy was expressed as percentages. The relationship between the sensitivity of 2-D TTE and intra-operative findings as ascertained using sensitivities and positive predictive values. Results: There were 55 pediatric cardiac operations performed within the period under review. There were 22 males and 23 females, the age range was from 8 months to 17 years. Fifty-two (94.5%) were due to congenital heart diseases, whereas three (5.5%) were due to acquired heart diseases. Echocardiographic findings were the same as surgical findings in all isolated PDAs (100%), Isolated ASDs (100%), Mitral valve regurgitation three (100%), but missed out PDA as an associated finding in a case of sub-aortic VSD (7.7%) and an ASD in a case of TOF (5.9%), congenital absence of tricuspid valve was also missed as a component of complex cardiac anomaly one (1.1%). These omissions however did not change the surgical approach and outcome. Pre-operative echocardiographic diagnoses and eventual surgical diagnoses were largely concordant. The sensitivity of 2-D TTE and intra-operative findings is 94.5%, positive predictive value is 94.5%, and the false negative rate is 5.5%. Conclusion: Echocardiography is a veritable diagnostic tool in the pre-operative evaluation of children with structural heart diseases. Continuous training and re-training are key in skill development and capacity building in resource-poor countries.

Complex congenital heart diseases among children presenting for cardiac surgery in a tertiary health facility in Enugu; South-East Nigeria. A rising trend.

BACKGROUND: Complex cardiac anomalies are a set of associated heart structural anomalies requiring some adaptive mechanism to maintain life. OBJECTIVES: This is to determine pattern and prevalence of common complex cardiac anomalies among children presenting for cardiac surgery in Enugu. METHODOLOGY: The children that present for cardiac surgery in our center over a six-month period were admitted and rescreened using a standardized echocardiographic method, information on biodata, oxygen saturation and 2D echo diagnosis were recorded in a proforma. RESULTS: A hundred and one (101) children with different structural heart diseases presented for cardiac surgery, 53 females and 48 males, 99 (98%) had congenital heart defects (49 cyanotic and 50 acyanotic). Complex cardiac anomalies were noted among 49 and 50 were non-complex, 6 (12.2%) acyanotic, and 43 (87.8%) cyanotic complex P < 0.01. This was noted among 21 females and 28 males. Children less than 3 years had 31 cases (63.3%) of the complex heart diseases while children between 5 years to 18 years had 14 (28.6%). The top three complex congenital heart disease were complex Tetralogy of Fallot which was found among 26 (53%) subjects. Tricuspid atresia and Truncus arteriosus were found in 3 children with congenial heart disease each, Shone complex was found in a child, Hypoplastic left heart syndrome was also noted in a child. CONCLUSION: The incidence of complex congenital heart diseases among prospective Paediatric cardiac surgery patients is high. Efforts should be made to improve access to preventive cardiology in order to curb these diseases.

Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder: a neglected issue in the developing world.

BACKGROUND: Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a neglected illness in a developing country. OBJECTIVES: The objectives of this study are to investigate the prevalence and pattern of ADHD among children in a Nigeria. METHODS: A structured self-administered questionnaire was used to collect information from the parents of children (and older children) who attended children outpatients' clinic during the study period. The DSM-IV-TR diagnostic criteria for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder were used. RESULTS: Two hundred and seventy-three (273) out of 282 questionnaires were filled completely, giving a response rate of 96.8%. Nine (9) children fulfilled the stated criteria for ADHD giving a prevalence rate of 3.2%. There is no association between gender and ADHD (P = 0.784). CONCLUSIONS: The prevalence of ADHD in our setting is 3.2%, which is similar to that obtained elsewhere in the world.

An unusual presentation of non-Hodgkins lymphoma: a case report.

BACKGROUND: Breast lymphoma is an uncommon disease with poor clinical outcome. The rarity of the disease is related to relatively small amount of lymphoid tissues in the breast. The prognosis usually depends on the stage at presentation. OBJECTIVE: To highlight an uncommon presentation of Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma. CONCLUSION: Non-Hodgkin's lymphoma can affect the breast. A high index of suspicion and prompt histological diagnosis are needed for effective management.

Health services utilization and costs of the insured and uninsured under the formal sector social health insurance scheme in Enugu metropolis South East Nigeria.

BACKGROUND: Health insurance is a social security system that aims to facilitate fair financing of health costs through pooling and judicious utilization of financial resources, in order to provide financial risk protections and cost burden sharing for people against high cost of healthcare through various prepayment methods prior to falling ill. It is still unclear how the Federal Social Health insurance program for federal civil servants has affected the insured and uninsured civil servants in terms of health services cost and utilization in Enugu metropolis. OBJECTIVES: The aim of the study was to compare the health services utilization and cost of insured with that of the non-insured federal civil servants with a view to generate information for policymaking on improving services of the National Health Insurance Scheme. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A comparative, descriptive, cross-sectional survey of both the insured and uninsured federal civil servants was conducted in Enugu metropolis. Respondents were purposively enrolled and were grouped according to their insurance status after signing the informed consent form. Comparative analysis of health services utilization, satisfaction, and health services cost which include total cost, average cost, and catastrophic expenditures were done using SPSS version 17.0. RESULTS: There were 809 respondents; this comprised 451 insured and 358 uninsured respondents. There were 420 males (51.9%) and 389 females (48.1%). It was found that 657 respondents had at least easy access to health; this comprised 369 (56.7%) insured and 288 (43.3%) non-insured respondents while 70 (46%) of the non-insured and 82 (54%) of the insured civil servant had difficult access to health care ( P = 0.620). CONCLUSION: There are still federal civil servants yet to enroll into the formal sector social insurance program. The NHIS-insured civil servants have no appreciable advantage in terms of access to and cost of health services in Enugu metropolis.

Risk Factors for Acute Respiratory Tract Infections in Under-Five Children in Enugu Southeast Nigeria

Background: Acute respiratory tract infections (ARIs) constitute the major causes of mortality and morbidity among under-five children of the developing world. The prevalence of ARIs is determined individually or collectively by a number of factors which may be prevalent in our environment. Aim: The present study is aimed to determine the risk factors that affect the prevalence of ARIs in under-five children in Enugu. Subjects and Methods: A cross-sectional study of 436 under-five children diagnosed with ARI was carried out in three hospitals in Enugu. Participants were consecutively enrolled after being diagnosed as a case of ARI. Structured pro foma was used to collect sociodemographic characteristics; anthropometric data and risk profile. Data were analyzed using Epi info version 6.0 and significant probability value was 5 . Results: A total of 436 patients were enrolled for the study 224 males and 212 females M: F 1.06:1. The mean age of the population was 18.75(13.38) months and there were 31.6 (138/436) cases of pneumonia 6.9 (30/436) cases of bronchiolitis and 61.5 (268/436) cases of acute upper respiratory tract infections. Children less than 20 months accounted for 60.9 (84/138 cases) of pneumonia; 86.7 (26/30 cases) of bronchiolitis; and 64.5 (173/268 cases) of acute upper respiratory tract infections. Pneumonia was noted in about 75.7 (56/74) of inadequately nourished children compared to 22.6 (82/362) in adequately nourished children. Other risk factors identified in the study include inadequate breast feeding; poor immunization statues; attendance to daycare centers; large family size; poor parental educational statues; parental smoking; living in the urban area and use of biofuels. Conclusion: ARIs are affected by socio-demographic and socio-cultural risk factors; which can be modified with simple strategies. It is recommended that control program for ARIs should be multifaceted with a strong political will