Ventricular Septal Defects among Children in Lagos

Background: Although the incidence of Ventricular Septal Defects (VSD) has been reported in other reports on Congenital Heart Disease (CHD) in the region. None has considered VSD as a separate entity. Other previous studies on Congenital Heart Disease in the region had also been for a short period of time (at best two years) with fewer sample sizes hence the need for this study which aims to document the prevalence and clinical profile of children with VSD in a busy tertiary hospital in Sub-Saharan Africa using data collected over nine years.

Methods: Prospective and cross sectional involving consecutive patients diagnosed with ventricular septal defect using clinical evaluation and echocardiography at the Paediatric Department of Lagos State University Teaching Hospital, Lagos Nigeria as part of a large study between January 2007 and December 2015.

Results: Ventricular septal defect was diagnosed in 352 patients, out of which 157 had isolated VSD while 195 had VSD associated with other heart defects (excluding Tetralogy of Fallot). Male to female ratio was 1.1:1. The children were aged 4 days to 13 years, with a mean of 25.18±37.41 months and the median age of eight (8) months. The prevalence of all VSDs in the study population was 10.7 per 10,000 children, and isolated VSD was 4.7 per 10,000 children. The prevalence of VSD amongst other congenital heart diseases was 31.1 and 13.9% for all VSDs and isolated VSDs respectively. Atrial Septal Defects (ASD) were the most common associated acyanotic congenital heart defects followed by Patent Ductus Arteriosus (PDA). Double Outlet Right Ventricle (DORV) was the most common associated cyanotic congenital heart disease. Perimembranous VSD was the most common followed by the sub-aortic type.

Conclusion: Ventricular Septal Defects is as common in Nigeria as in the other parts of the world. The most common associated defect was Atrial septal defects and the most common type is perimembranous.