Abstract
cardiac lesions. Cardiac catheterization is the gold standard method for confirming the diagnosis
of PHT and for guiding management. Doppler ultrasound also can be used non-invasively to
estimate the pulmonary artery pressure.
Material and Methods: We reviewed the clinical history, examination and echocardiogram of 84
patients (male=50, female=34) [mean age = 4.2 y (3m-15y) who underwent cardiac catheterization
for their congenital heart problem in our pediatric cardiology ward (Mar 2001-Apr 2002). The
patients were divided into pulmonary hypertension (PHT) group and normal pulmonary artery
pressure (NPAP) group according to the results of catheterization.
Results: PHT was diagnosed in 40 patients (47%) by catheterization compared with 42 patients
(50%) by echocardiography. Mean age of PHT groups was 3.38 years (3 months to 4 years) by 24
male (60%); and 5.5y (8-15) by 26 male (59%) in NPAP group. The sensitivity and specificity of
echocardiography in diagnosis of PHT was 100% and 95% respectively. The positive predictive
value of echocardiography was 95% and the negative predictive value was 100%.
Conclusions: These results indicate similar diagnostic power by echocardiography and
catheterization in identifying pulmonary hypertension.
Keywords
Pulmonary hypertension Echocardiography Catheterization Children
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References
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