A comparative analysis on risk of pulmonary hypertension in children with Atrio-ventricular (AV) canal defect: a multi-centre study

OBJECTIVES: This study is aimed at determining the risk of pulmonary hypertension in children with AV canal defect when compared with children with other congenital heart disease. METHODS: A descriptive study carried out in three institutions over a six-year period among children who presented with AV canal defect and their controls who presented with other congenital heart defects. RESULTS: A large proportion of the children with AV canal (77.5%) had pulmonary hypertension. Among the patients with pulmonary hypertension, 45.2% were males compared 54.8% females (χ2 = 3.2, p = 0.2). There was a positive correlation between pulmonary hypertension and size of VSD and ASD, although the correlation was not significant (Pearson correlation coefficient = 0.01 and 0.4, p = 0.9 and 0.1 respectively). Children with AV canal defect had higher odds of developing most clinical symptoms and pulmonary hypertension than children with other congenital heart disease and this is statistically significant. CONCLUSION: Majority of children with AV canal defect presented with pulmonary hypertension. These children present with higher odds of having pulmonary hypertension and clinical symptoms than children with other types of congenital heart disease.