Insights in Pediatric Cardiology

Heart Murmur among Lebanese Children: A Retrospective Study to Evaluate Epidemiological Features and Risk Factors

Objective: This retrospective study aims to evaluate the influence of different variables incriminated as risk factors for pathological heart murmur (HM).
Methods: The study is conducted among 277 children aged between 0-14 years old referred to pediatric cardiology consultation upon a new finding of an isolated heart murmur. Therefore, they were divided into two groups (Case Group=pathological HM and Control group=Innocent HM) through the Doppler echocardiography diagnosis. A questionnaire was used later on to study all the socio-demographic factors and compare them between the two groups.
Results: Of 277 patients, pathological heart murmurs were found in 178 cases (64.26%). A statistically significant difference is found among seven variables: Consanguinity, Age<1 year, Low socio-economical status, Family history of congenital heart disease, North Region, Poly-malformation Syndrome, and presence of other clinical findings and abnormal symptoms associated to the murmur. Conclusions: These results show that genetic factors are recognized as the ultimate risk factor for congenital heart diseases (CHD), whereas environmental factors play a decreasing role through prevention policies adopted worldwide such as control of maternal diabetes, alcohol use during pregnancy, teratogenic drugs and rubella.

Author(s):

L Daou, C Harb and A Fenianos

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