Evaluation of Predictors of Mortality Associated With Childhood Heart Failure in Nigeria: A 2-Center Study.

Objective: The aim of this study was to evaluate the predictors of mortality in childhood heart failure (HF) in 2 tertiary hospitals.

Methods: A 51-month retrospective review of case notes of children with HF admitted into children's emergency rooms of 2 tertiary centers in Southern Nigeria was done. Bio-data and certain sociodemographic variables including mortality were abstracted. Bivariate and multivariate analyses were done to evaluate the predictors of mortality in HF.

Results: The case notes of 289 children were analyzed, consisting of 153 males (52.9%) and 142 infants (49.1%). Lower respiratory tract infections, 121 (41.9%), were the commonest causes of HF. Twenty-eight children (9.7%) died. In multivariate analyses, only late presentation (P < 0.0001) was an independent predictor of mortality in HF.

Conclusion: Education of the populace about early presentation to hospital is imperative to prevent unnecessary deaths associated with HF.