Isezuo Khadijat O, Sani Usman M, Waziri Usman M, Garba Bilikisu I, Umar Abubakar, Ukwuani Solomon I, Maishanu Moyijo, Udah Inalegwu C, Shehu Sirajo, Ajadi Muideen A, Mohammed Yahaya
Department of Pediatrics, Usmanu Danfodiyo University Teaching Hospital, Sokoto, NGA.
Department of Surgery, Usmanu Danfodiyo University Teaching Hospital, Sokoto, NGA.
Cureus. 2024 Nov 26;16(11):e74485. doi: 10.7759/cureus.74485. eCollection 2024 Nov.
Pericardial effusion (PE) is an abnormal accumulation of fluid in the pericardial space, which, if severe, is associated with high mortality. The causes are diverse, including infective and non-infective. Few studies have looked at the spectrum of severity and causes in Northern Nigeria. The aim was to determine the spectrum of causes and severity of pericardial effusion, as well as the outcome among children seen at the Paediatric Cardiology Unit, Usmanu Danfodiyo University Teaching Hospital (UDUTH), Sokoto, Nigeria.
This ten-year retrospective study reviewed the echocardiographic and admission records of children admitted to the Pediatric Cardiology unit, UDUTH, Sokoto, from January 2014 to December 2023. Data on age, gender presentation, diagnosed causes, and outcomes were extracted and entered into a study pro forma.
Cases with pericardial effusion were 121. Of these, 79 (65.3%) were male and 42 (34.7%) were female (M:F = 1.9:1). The mean age of all cases was 8.2±4.3 years, and 72% (87/121) were aged 5 years or older. Eighteen (14.8%) had severe effusion and cardiac tamponade, 42 (34.7%) had moderate effusion, and 61 (50.4%) had mild effusion. Infective causes were 91 (75.2%) and included rheumatic heart disease (30/121, 24.8%), tuberculosis (28/121, 23.1%), and dilated cardiomyopathy (15/121, 12.4%), while non-infective causes were 30 (24.8%) and included congenital heart disease (14/121, 11.6%), pulmonary hypertension (7/121, 5.8%), and connective tissue diseases (4/121, 3.3%). Five had open tube pericardiostomy, and 10 had percutaneous echo-guided drainage. Two cases with sepsis were positive for microbial growth, and two cases of tuberculous effusion had chronic inflammation on pericardial biopsy. Outcomes differed by underlying cause, with mortalities mainly from rheumatic heart disease and dilated cardiomyopathy.
In the study area, preventable infective causes of pericardial effusion predominated with higher mortality. Males and older children had more severe effusions. More efforts at prevention would be beneficial in this regard.
心包积液（PE）是心包腔内液体的异常积聚，若情况严重，死亡率较高。其病因多样，包括感染性和非感染性。在尼日利亚北部，很少有研究关注其严重程度范围和病因。目的是确定尼日利亚索科托市乌斯曼努·丹福迪奥大学教学医院（UDUTH）儿科心脏病科收治儿童的心包积液病因范围、严重程度以及预后情况。
这项为期十年的回顾性研究回顾了2014年1月至2023年12月期间在索科托市UDUTH儿科心脏病科住院儿童的超声心动图和入院记录。提取了有关年龄、性别表现、诊断病因和预后的数据，并录入研究表格。
心包积液病例共121例。其中，男性79例（65.3%），女性42例（34.7%）（男:女 = 1.9:1）。所有病例的平均年龄为8.2±4.3岁，72%（87/121）年龄在5岁及以上。18例（14.8%）有严重积液和心脏压塞，42例（34.7%）有中度积液，61例（50.4%）有轻度积液。感染性病因91例（75.2%），包括风湿性心脏病（30/121，24.8%）、结核病（28/121，23.1%）和扩张型心肌病（15/121，12.4%），而非感染性病因30例（24.8%），包括先天性心脏病（14/121，11.6%）、肺动脉高压（7/121，5.8%）和结缔组织病（4/121，3.3%）。5例行心包切开引流术，10例行经皮超声引导下引流。2例败血症病例微生物培养呈阳性，2例结核性积液心包活检有慢性炎症。预后因潜在病因而异，死亡主要源于风湿性心脏病和扩张型心肌病。
在研究区域，心包积液的可预防感染性病因占主导，死亡率较高。男性和年龄较大的儿童积液更严重。在这方面加大预防力度将有益处。
