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Nigeria has the highest incidence of peripartum cardiomyopathy (PPCM) in the world. However, data on PPCM-related outcomes are limited.The purpose of this study was to examine the clinical profile, myocardial remodeling, and survival of patients with PPCM in Nigeria.This study consecutively recruited 244 PPCM patients (median 7 months postpartum) at 14 sites in Nigeria and applied structured follow-up for a median of 17 months (interquartile range: 14 to 20 months). Left ventricular reverse remodeling (LVRR) was defined as the composite of left ventricular (LV) end-diastolic dimension 33 mm/mOverall, 45 (18.7%) patients died during follow-up. Maternal age 20 years (hazard ratio [HR]: 2.40; 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.27 to 4.54), hypotension (HR: 1.87; 95% CI: 1.02 to 3.43), tachycardia (HR: 2.38; 95% CI: 1.05 to 5.43), and LVEF 25% at baseline (HR: 2.11; 95% CI: 1.12 to 3.95) independently predicted mortality. Obesity (HR: 0.16; 95% CI: 0.04 to 0.55) and regular use of beta-blockers at 6-month follow-up (HR: 0.20; 95% CI: 0.09 to 0.41) were independently associated with reduced risk for mortality. In total, 48 patients (24.1%) achieved LVRR and 45 (22.6%) achieved LV full recovery. LVEF 25% at baseline (HR: 0.66; 95% CI: 0.47 to 0.92) and regular use of beta-blockers at 6-month follow-up (HR: 1.62; 95% CI: 1.17 to 2.25) independently determined the risk for LV full recovery. Progressive reverse remodeling of all cardiac chambers was observed. In total, 18 patients (7.4%) were hospitalized during the study.This is the largest study of PPCM in Africa. Consistent with late presentations, the mortality rate was high, whereas frequencies of LVRR and LV full recovery were low. Several variables predicted poor outcomes, and regular use of beta-blockers correlated with late survival and LV functional recovery.

The field of pacing in Africa has evolved in an uncoordinated way across the continent with significant variation in local expertise, cost, and utilization. There are many countries where pacemaker services do not meet one-hundredth of the national demand. Regional, national, and institutional standards for pacemaker qualification and credentials are lacking. This paper reviews the current needs for bradycardia pacing and evaluates what standards should be set to develop pacemaker services in a resource-constrained continent, including the challenges and opportunities of capacity building and training as well as standards for training programs (training prerequisites, case volumes, program content, and evaluation).

Syncope is a common manifestation of both hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) and Wolff-Parkinson-White (WPW) syndrome. The most common arrhythmia in HCM is ventricular tachycardia (VT) and atrial fibrillation (AF). While preexcitation provides the substrate for reentry and supraventricular tachycardia (SVT), AF is more common in patients with preexcitation than the general population. Concurrence of HCM and WPW has been reported in many cases, but whether the prognosis or severity of arrhythmia is different compared to the individual disorders remains unsettled. We report a case of HCM and Wolff-Parkinson-White (WPW) syndrome in a 28-year-old male Nigerian soldier presenting with recurrent syncope and lichen planus.

Summary Background There is limited information on the availability of health services to treat cardiac arrhythmias in Africa. Methods The Pan–African Society of Cardiology (PASCAR) Sudden Cardiac Death Task Force conducted a survey of the burden of cardiac arrhythmias and related services over two months (15 October to 15 December) in 2017. An electronic questionnaire was completed by general cardiologists and electrophysiologists working in African countries. The questionnaire focused on availability of human resources, diagnostic tools and treatment modalities in each country. Results We received responses from physicians in 33 out of 55 (60%) African countries. Limited use of basic cardiovascular drugs such as anti–arrhythmics and anticoagulants prevails. Non–vitamin K–dependent oral anticoagulants (NOACs) are not widely used on the continent, even in North Africa. Six (18%) of the sub–Saharan African (SSA) countries do not have a registered cardiologist and about one–third do not have pacemaker services. The median pacemaker implantation rate was 2.66 per million population per country, which is 200–fold lower than in Europe. The density of pacemaker facilities and operators in Africa is quite low, with a median of 0.14 (0.03–6.36) centres and 0.10 (0.05–9.49) operators per million population. Less than half of the African countries have a functional catheter laboratory with only South Africa providing the full complement of services for cardiac arrhythmia in SSA. Overall, countries in North Africa have better coverage, leaving more than 110 million people in SSA without access to effective basic treatment for cardiac conduction disturbances. Conclusion The lack of diagnostic and treatment services for cardiac arrhythmias is a common scenario in the majority of SSA countries, resulting in sub–optimal care and a subsequent high burden of premature cardiac death. There is a need to improve the standard of care by providing essential services such as cardiac pacemaker implantation.

Myxoma is a benign and the most frequent tumor of the heart, accounting for approximately 30% of all primary cardiac tumors. Seventy five percent of atrial myxomas are in the left atrium. We present a case of a 20-year-old house wife presenting with biventricular heart failure and chest infection five months after her last child birth. Transthoracic echocardiography showed a mobile left atrial echogenic mass measuring 4.6 × 4.0 cm attached to the interatrial septum. Left ventricular systolic function was mildly reduced (EF 48%) with mitral and tricuspid incompetence. A diagnosis of left atrial myxoma with biventricular heart failure with chest infection was made. She improved on antibiotics and treatment of heart failure, and referred to Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital for further management.

Heart Failure (HF) is a syndrome characterized by typical symptoms (e.g. breathlessness, ankle swelling and fatigue) that may be accompanied by signs (e.g. elevated jugular venous pressure, pulmonary crackles and peripheral oedema) caused by a structural and/or functional cardiac abnormality, resulting in a reduced cardiac output and/or elevated intracardiac pressures at rest or during stress. Clinical studies investigating the aetiological patterns of heart failure in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) revealed that hypertension, cardiomyopathy and rheumatic heart disease account for more than two-thirds of cardiac disease cases. The objective of this study therefore is to assess the pattern, precipitating factors and short term outcome of heart failure among patients admitted into our hospital. Method: The study was a prospective cross-sectional type conducted among in patients with heart failure in the medical ward of the hospital. Results: A total of three and fifty four (354) subjects were recruited into the study, comprising one hundred and twenty nine males (36.4%) and two hundred and twenty five (63.4%) females. Majority of the patients were admitted in NYHA functional class IV. This however improved to class II at discharge though few were discharged in NYHA class III. Heart failure secondary to progressive hypertensive heart disease was the most common (39.0%) followed by peripartum cardiomyopathy (22.6%) while idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy (11.0%) and rheumatic heart disease (7.3%) were the third and fourth causes of heart failure respectively. The most common precipitating factor for heart failure in this study was chest infection (44.9%). In conclusion, the study revealed that progressive hypertensive heart disease was the leading cause of heart failure, followed by peripartum cardiomyopathy while idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy and rheumatic heart disease were ranked third and fourth causes of heart failure respectively. Though myocardial infarction is on the increase, it was found to be the fifth cause of heart failure. The study also identified the following precipitants of heart failure in decreasing order of occurrence: chest infection, non-adherence to prescription, and urinary tract infection.

In a retrospective study of 1224 transthoracic echocardiograms performed between January 2011 and December 2013, we evaluated the spectrum of congenital heart disease (CHD) diagnosed at a tertiary referral centre in Maiduguri, north-eastern Nigeria. Diagnosis of CHD was made in 88 (8.3%) subjects, comprising 23 (26.1%) adults and 65 (73.9%) aged less than 18 years. Forty six (52.3%) of those with CHD were females, while 42 (47.7%) were males. The frequencies of the CHD in decreasing order were: ventricular septal defect 23 (26.1%), tetralogy of Fallot (TOF) 14 (15.9%) and atrial septal defect (ASD) and atrioventricular septal defect (AVSD) were 11 (12.5%) each. One of the patients with AVSD had Ellis Van Creveldt syndrome. Six (6.8%) cases of patent ductus arteriosus (PDA) were diagnosed in those younger than 18 years, while all the 5 (5.7%) cases of Ebstein’s anomaly were diagnosed in adults. There were 6 (6.8%) cases of Eisenmenger syndrome involving three cases of AVSD, one case of ASD and two cases of Ebstein’s anomaly. Timely definitive cares for these patients are still lacking in Nigeria and many areas of sub-Saharan Africa. We recommend sensitization of all relevant clinicians to actively look for congenital heart defects. Pulse oximetry and postnatal echocardiographic new-born screening which were previously validated should be implemented at secondary and tertiary levels, and efforts should be made towards providing the needed care for patients with CHD.

Background Inappropriate implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD) shocks is a common complication in Brugada syndrome. However, the incidence in recipients of ICD for primary and secondary prevention is unknown. Method and results We compared the rate of inappropriate shocks in patients with Brugada syndrome that had an ICD for primary and secondary prevention. We studied 51 patients, 86.5% of whom were males. Their mean age at diagnosis was 47 ± 11 years. Eighteen (35%) were asymptomatic, while 25 (49%) experienced syncope prior to implantation. Eight (16%) patients were resuscitated from ventricular fibrillation before implantation. During a mean follow-up of 78 ± 46 months, none of the asymptomatic patients experienced appropriate therapy, whereas 21.6% of symptomatic patients had ≥1 shock. Inappropriate shock occurred in 7 (13.7%) patients, with a mean IS of 6.57 ± 6.94 shocks per patient occurring 16.14 ± 10.38 months after implantation. There was a trend towards higher incidence of inappropriate shock in the asymptomatic group (p = 0.09). The interval from implantation to inappropriate shock occurrence was 13.91 ± 12.98 months. The risk of IS at 3 years was 13.7%, which eventually plateaued over the time. Conclusion Inappropriate shock is common in Brugada syndrome during the early periods after an ICD implantation, and seems to be more likely in asymptomatic patients. This finding may warrant a review of the indications for ICD implantation, especially in the young and apparently healthy population of patients with Brugada syndrome.

Objective: Carotid intima-media thickness is a significant and independent predictor of coronary artery disease in patients with diabetes. The aim of our study was to determine carotid intima-media thickness in Nigerians with diabetes.Methods: This was an observational cross-sectional study involving consecutively presenting patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus and healthy age-matched adults. Anthropometric variables were measured, and blood samples collected for fasting blood sugar, cholesterol, and HbA1c. Carotid intima-media thickness was measured using a 2-D scanner. Association of carotid intima-media thickness with other variable was assessed using correlation and multivariable linear regression models.Results: One hundred and fifty two subjects (87 diabetics and 65 healthy adults) were studied. Carotid intimamedia thickness was significantly higher among diabetics. Seventy nine (90.8%) and seventy two (82.8%) patients with diabetes had carotid intima-media thickness greater than 0.9 mm and 1.0 mm respectively. Carotid intimamedia thickness was higher in patients with higher HbA1c, fasting blood sugar, body mass index, total cholesterol and LDL cholesterol, and significantly correlated with HbA1c, age, fasting blood sugar, systolic blood pressure, total cholesterol, LDL-c and HDL-c. Age, HbA1c and duration of hypertension predicted increased carotid intima-media thickness.Conclusion: The prevalence of increased carotid intima-media thickness is extremely high among Nigerians with diabetes, and this significantly correlated with other risk factors for cardiovascular diseases. Assessment of carotid intima-media thickness should be routinely included in evaluation of subjects with diabetes, and assessment of total cardiovascular risk.

Aims To provide comprehensive information on the access and use of cardiac implantable electronic devices (CIED) and catheter ablation procedures in Africa. Methods and results The Pan-African Society of Cardiology (PASCAR) collected data on invasive management of cardiac arrhythmias from 2011 to 2016 from 31 African countries. A specific template was completed by physicians, and additional information obtained from industry. Information on health care systems, demographics, economics, procedure rates, and specific training programs was collected. Considerable heterogeneity in the access to arrhythmia care was observed across Africa. Eight of the 31 countries surveyed (26%) did not perform pacemaker implantations. The median pacemaker implantation rate was 2.66 per million population per country (range: 0.14–233 per million population). Implantable cardioverter-defibrillator and cardiac resynchronization therapy were performed in 12/31 (39%) and 15/31 (48%) countries respectively, mostly by visiting teams. Electrophysiological studies, including complex catheter ablations were performed in all countries from Maghreb, but only one sub-Saharan African country (South Africa). Marked variation in cost (up to 1000-fold) was observed across countries with an inverse correlation between implant rates and the procedure fees standardized to the gross domestic product per capita. Lack of economic resources and facilities, high cost of procedures, deficiency of trained physicians, and non-existent fellowship programs were the main drivers of under-utilization of interventional cardiac arrhythmia care. Conclusion There is limited access to CIED and ablation procedures in Africa. A quarter of countries did not have pacemaker implantation services, and catheter ablations were only available in one country in sub-Saharan Africa.

Background: Echocardiography has since its inception, assumed a significant role in evaluation of cardiac masses, supplanting other diagnostic modalities for this purpose. We reviewed the various kinds of cardiac masses detected using transthoracic echocardiography in our center over a period of 3-year. Materials and Methods: Echocardiographic data of patients that underwent transthoracic echocardiography from January 2011 to December 2013 were retrieved. All subjects had standard transthoracic echocardiography including all forms of Doppler modalities where appropriate. Descriptive statistics was used in assessing the proportion of the different cardiac masses observed. Results: One thousand three hundred and two transthoracic echocardiograms were performed over the 3-year period, out of which 1224 comprising 591 (48.3%) males and 633 (51.7%) females were retrieved and reviewed. Their mean age was 39.62 (20.6) years. Cardiac masses were documented in 106 (8.7%) of the subjects. The most common cardiac mass was intracardiac thrombus, observed in 89 (84.0%) followed by vegetation in 10 (9.4%). A presumptive diagnosis of right atrial myxoma was made in 4 (3.8%), whereas 1 (0.9%) had a right atrial mass of uncertain cause. Inferior vena cava mass and metastatic lesion to pericardium were each diagnosed in 1 (0.9%) patient. Most of the cardiac thrombi involved the left ventricle (94.4%), whereas vegetations were mainly on the mitral valve (80%). Conclusion: The dominant causes of cardiac mass observed are cardiac thrombus, commonly involving the left ventricle, and vegetations on mitral valve.

Background: The advent of echocardiography has tremendously improved the diagnosis of cardiovascular diseases. We present a review of cardiovascular disorders diagnosed using transthoracic echocardiography over 3 years. Materials and Methods: Echocardiographic data of patients from January 2011 to December 2013 were retrieved. All subjects had standard transthoracic echocardiography including Doppler modalities where appropriate. Descriptive statistics was used in assessing the occurrence of the different cardiac disorders. Results: One thousand three hundred and two echocardiograms were considered, out of which 1224 (94%) comprising 591 (48.3%) males and 633 (51.7%) females were analyzed. Ages ranged from 4 days to 105 years with a mode of 60 years and a mean of 39.62 ± 20.58 years. The most common indications were hypertensive heart disease (HHD) (28.2%) and congestive cardiac failure (23.4%). HHD was the most common diagnosis (25.1%) followed by cardiomyopathies (23.9%). Idiopathic dilated (29.3%) and peripartum cardiomyopathy (23.1%) were the most common cardiomyopathies. Valvular heart diseases (VHD) were diagnosed in 14.9%, with rheumatic (60.4%), and degenerative (36.4%) being dominant. Congenital heart disease was diagnosed in 7.2%, with 70.5% of the cases in those ≤14 years. Ischemic heart disease was diagnosed in 6.6%. Pericardial diseases were found in 3.2%, while cor pulmonale was documented in 0.8%. Atrial myxoma dissection of the ascending aorta, athlete's heart, and amniotic fluid embolism were each observed in Conclusion: The most common echocardiographic diagnoses in our center are HHD, cardiomyopathies, and VHD. Congenital and ischemic heart diseases are also prevalent.