Pulmonary Hypertension in Children with Ventricular Septal Defects.

BACKGROUND: Ventricular septal defect (VSD) is a common congenital heart disease which could be complicated with pulmonary hypertension (PH). OBJECTIVES: This study sought to establish the relationship between severity of PH and size of VSD and age. METHODS: This is a descriptive study where one hundred and fiftyone children aged 3 months to 18 years with echocardiographically confirmed VSD were studied. Pulmonary hypertension (PH) was determined using the tricuspid regurgitation jet velocity with a cutoff of systolic pulmonary arterial pressure (sPAP) at >25mmHg. Severity of pulmonary hypertension was classified into mild (25-50mg Hg); moderate, (51-60mm Hg) and severe ≥ 60mm Hg. Data were analysed using the SPSS version 25. RESULTS: Majority 52.9% had mild PH while 17.6% had severe PH. Mild PH (χ2=15.513, p=0.004) was found among 66.7% of those with small-sized VSD, 42% of those with moderate-sized VSD and 57.1% of those with large-sized VSD. There was a weak positive correlation between PH and size of VSD (n=132, r=0.320, p<0.001). For one-unit increase in age (in months), PH was noted to decrease by 0.030 (B= -0.030, 95%CI: -0.090- 0.030) and for a unit increase in size (mm) of VSD, PH increased by 1.681 units (B=1.681, 95%CI: 0.798- 2.563). CONCLUSION: There was a linear increase in pulmonary hypertension with increase in the size of ventricular-septal defect and decrease in the age of children with VSD. Age and VSD size were significant predictors of PH severity in children with VSD. All sizes of VSD are associated with pulmonary hypertension. A unit increase in age (in months), caused a decrease of PH by 0.030units and a unit increase in size (mm) of VSD resulted in an increased PH by 1.681 units.

CONTEXTE: La communication interventriculaire (CIP) est une cardiopathie congénitale courante qui peut se compliquer d'hypertension pulmonaire (HP). OBJECTIFS: Cette étude visait à établir la relation entre la sévérité de l'HTP et la taille de la communication interventriculaire et l'âge. MÉTHODES: Il s'agit d'une étude descriptive dans laquelle cent cinquante et un enfants âgés de 3 mois à 18 ans avec une VSD confirmée par échocardiographie ont été étudiés. L'hypertension pulmonaire (HP) a été déterminée en utilisant la vitesse du jet de régurgitation tricuspide avec un seuil de pression artérielle pulmonaire systolique (PAPS) à >25mmHg. La gravité de l'hypertension pulmonaire a été classée en légère (25-50mg Hg) ; modérée, (51-60mm Hg) et sévère ≥60mm Hg. Les données ont été analysées à l'aide du SPSS version 25. RÉSULTATS: La majorité 52,9% avait un PH léger tandis que 17,6% avaient un PH sévère. Un PH léger (χ2=15,513, p=0,004) a été trouvé chez 66,7% de ceux qui avaient une VSD de petite taille, 42% de ceux qui avaient une VSD de taille modérée et 57,1% de ceux qui avaient une VSD de grande taille. Il y avait une faible corrélation positive entre le PH et la taille de la VSD (n=132, r=0,320, p<0,001). Pour une augmentation d'une unité de l'âge (en mois), le PH a diminué de 0,030 (B= -0,030, 95%CI : -0,090- 0,030) et pour une augmentation d'une unité de la taille (mm) de la VSD, le PH a augmenté de 1,681 unités (B=1,681, 95%CI : 0,798- 2,563). CONCLUSION: Il y avait une augmentation linéaire de l'hypertension pulmonaire avec l'augmentation de la taille du défaut ventriculaireseptal et l'augmentation de l'âge des enfants avec VSD. L'âge et la taille de l'anomalie ventriculaire-septale étaient des prédicteurs significatifs de la gravité de l'hypertension pulmonaire chez les enfants atteints d'une anomalie ventriculaire-septale. Toutes les tailles de VSD sont associées à l'hypertension pulmonaire. Une augmentation unitaire de l'âge (en mois) a entraîné une diminution de l'HTP de 0,030 unité et une augmentation unitaire de la taille (mm) de la CIA a entraîné une augmentation de l'HTP de 1,681 unité. MOTS CLÉS: hypertension pulmonaire ; VSD ; taille ; âge.

Caring for Children with Congenital Heart Diseases:Economic Burden of Pre-Surgical Management on Nigerian Families.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Managing children with Congenital Heart Disease (CHD) attracts enormous cost especially in resource-poor settings like Nigeria. This study sought to determine the healthcare costs of pre-surgical management of CHD and describe its catastrophic effects on households. METHODS: Using a semi-structured interviewer-administered questionnaire, caregivers of children with CHD were interviewed. Family income, type of CHD, co-morbidity, healthcare payment mechanism and healthcare cost were explored over 3 months prior to the study. Healthcare costs were then averaged to obtain monthly estimates. Catastrophic health expenditure (CHE) was defined as healthcare spending above 10% family monthly income. Factors associated with increased healthcare spending in CHD management were explored using the Kruskal Wallis test of significance. RESULTS: Of the 108 parents interviewed, 81.0% paid for healthcare using out-of-pocket payment mechanism. The median direct monthly medical and non-medical costs were N==3,625 (range: N==200 - N==59,350) [$10.07; range:$0.56-$164.86] and N==420 (range: N==150 -N ==11,000) [$1.17; range $0.42-$30.56] respectively. Hospitalisation and transportation accounted for majority of the direct medical and non-medical costs, respectively. About 36.1% of families suffered financial catastrophe. Catastrophic overshoot and mean positive overshoot were 5.6% and 30.8% above the 10% income threshold, respectively. The healthcare spending was significantly higher in families of children with CHD complicated with heart failure (p=0.001) and pulmonary hypertension (p=0.038) and those who suffered financial catastrophe (p=0.001). Health insurance did not significantly reduce healthcare spending among the insured(p=0.630). CONCLUSION: The economic burden of pre-surgical management of children with CHD is high in Nigeria. Appropriate interventions governmental and non-governmental organisations are needed to cushion the burden of healthcare costs on affected families.

Acquired ventricular septal defect: a rare sequel of blunt chest trauma in a 7-year-old boy.

Ventricular septal defect (VSD) is the most common congenital cardiac lesion encountered worldwide. Only very rarely is it acquired, and causation through blunt injury in a child is extremely rare. A previously healthy 7-year-old boy suffered blunt chest trauma while at play. He presented 11 days later with features of acute congestive cardiac failure. Two-dimensional echocardiographic examination revealed a mid-muscular VSD. The connection between the defect and the trauma was not initially appreciated. Facilities for required urgent open-heart surgery were not available. Cardiac failure was refractory to anti-failure therapy. His clinical condition steadily worsened, and he succumbed after 20 days on admission. We conclude that a diagnosis of traumatic VSD, though rare, should be considered in any previously well child presenting in acute congestive cardiac failure following blunt trauma to the chest. Any such patient should undergo careful echocardiographic evaluation. There is an urgent need for facilities for open-heart surgery to be more readily available and accessible in Nigeria.