ETIOLOGY OF CONGESTIVE CARDIAC FAILURE IN CHILDREN FROM BIRTH TO 15 YEARS

Abstract

Objective: - To study the various causes of congestive cardiac failure in children. Study Design: - Prospective descriptive study. Period of Study: - 1st November 2004 to 31st March 2005. Setting: - Pediatric and cardiology Dept of LUH Hyderabad. Patient and Method: - During study period of 5 months all children between the age of 0-15 year presenting with symptom and sign suggestive of congestive cardiac failure were evaluated with relevant investigation for the underlying etiology. Those patients who expired during study before diagnosis was established were excluded. Results: - Out of total 55 patients 30(54.54%) were male and 25(45.45%) female and the commonest etiology of CCF was congenital heart disease. Seventeen patients (30.9%) were below one year of age and the commonest etiology was congenital heart disease of which eleven patients (64%) had VSD, seven (63%) of them had lower Respiratory tract infection. Other etiologies included myocarditis with pericardial effusion and gross Anemia. Eleven patients (64%) were between 1-5 years and the commonest cause of congestive heart failure was acute myocarditis other causes were congenital heart disease and Gross Anemia. Twenty seven (49%) patients were between 5-15 years and the commonest cause was Rheumatic carditis found in 12 patients (44%) other causes included congenital heart disease, myocarditis, dilated cardiomyopathy and Anemia, valvular vegetations was seen on preexisting Rheumatic value disease in 2 patients. Ten patients had noncardiac causes of congestive cardiac failure commonest one was Anemia seen in 8 patients. Conclusion: - The cardiac failure could occur at any age and the predominant etiology during infancy was VSD while myocarditis is common in age group 1-5year. Rheumatic carditis was the commonest cause of congestive heart failure beyond 5 yr. Among non-cardiac cause Anemia is on the top