Epidemiological profile, clinical presentation, and mortality risk factors of congenital heart disease in infants under 3 months in Senegal: A retrospective cohort study
Keywords:
Congenital Heart Disease; Newborn; In-hospital Mortality; Risk Factors; Senegal.Abstract
Introduction: Congenital heart diseases (CHD) represent a major public health challenge in sub-Saharan Africa, where mortality remains high due to delayed diagnosis and limited access to interventional care1,2. Recent data from Senegal are scarce. This study aimed to describe the profile and identify mortality risk factors for CHD in infants under 3 months of age in a national reference center.
Methods: A retrospective, descriptive, and analytical study was conducted from January 1, 2023, to December 31, 2024, at the CHNEAR. All newborns and infants under 3 months with an echocardiography-confirmed CHD were included. Data were analyzed using SPSS v.30. Risk factors for death were identified by logistic regression.
Results: Out of 1007 admissions, 73 patients were included (hospital prevalence: 7.2%). Prenatal diagnosis concerned 6.8% of cases. The mean age at admission was 21 days, and 56.2% were malnourished. Atrioventricular septal defect (21.9%) was the most frequent CHD. In-hospital mortality was 43.8%. In multivariate analysis, cyanotic heart disease (OR = 5.2; 95% CI: 1.7-16.0) and severe malnutrition at admission (OR = 3.8; 95% CI: 1.3-11.2) were independent factors associated with death.
Conclusion: This study reveals a very high, largely preventable, in hospital mortality from CHD. The urgent strengthening of systematic neonatal screening, early nutritional management, and access to pediatric cardiac surgery is imperative to improve survival.
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