Bicuspid Aortic Valve among Children Presenting in Two Health Institutions in Enugu, South-East Nigeria.

BACKGROUND

Bicuspid aortic valve (BAV) is the most common congenital heart defect. However, this is under-reported. It is not without associated cardiac anomalies.

AIM: This study was aimed at documenting the prevalence of BAV in two referral health institutions and to determine the various types and associated cardiac anomalies.

METHODS

This was a descriptive study carried out in two referral health institutions. One thousand and five echocardiography was carried out in children with suspected cardiac diseases over a nine-year period.

RESULTS

Data was analyzed with IBM statistical software version 20. The prevalence of children with BAV is 1.7%. The most common type of BAV is the presence of left coronary and non-coronary sinuses. The most common associated lesion among children with BAV is atrial septal defect 7 (41.2%), followed by significant tricuspid regurgitation three (17.7%) and aortic stenosis three (17.7%). The mean cardiac structure diameters were not different when compared with age- and gender-matched controls (Children without BAV).

CONCLUSION

Though BAV is the most common congenital heart disease, its rarity is proven in this study. It is also noteworthy that the cardiac defect is associated with valvar anomalies.