
The Epidemiological Characteristics and Risk Factors of Common Cardiovascular Diseases in Children in Gorgan, Iran
Elham Faghihi 1 ℗, Arefeh Hasanzadeh 1, Zohreh Mohammadpour 1, Saba Poolaie 1, Akram Sanagoo 2, Fatemeh Mehravar 3, Leila Jouybari 2 ©
Abstract
Cardiovascular diseases are a major cause of death worldwide. Various factors, including lifestyle changes, contribute to the incidence of these diseases. The roots of cardiovascular diseases can be traced back to childhood. The aim of this study was to determine the epidemiological characteristics of common cardiovascular diseases in children and the influencing risk factors. Methods and Materials: This study is a cross-sectional study. A total of 348 children with cardiovascular diseases who visited the Gorgan University Hospital of Pediatrics between 2019 and 2023 were examined. Data collection tool included gathering information from archived patient records. Data collection was conducted after obtaining ethical approval (IR.GOUMS.REC.1402.31) and ensuring the confidentiality of personal information. SPSS version 26 software was used for data description and analysis. We used t-tests, ANOVA, chi-square, and correlation to determine relationships between variables. Results: The mean age of hospitalized children was 26.14± 41.51 months (ranging from 1 to 204 months) with the majority being boys (52.9%). 93% of patients did not have a family history of heart disease. 30.7% were cases of consanguineous marriages. The most common cause of heart disease was Kawasaki syndrome (23%), while the least common was Tetralogy of Fallot (2.9%). 8.3% of children had passed away. Risk factors influencing the type of heart disease included family history of heart disease (P=0.02), parental consanguineous marriages (P=0.01), blood hemoglobin concentration (P=0.006), mean red blood cell volume (P=0.0001), mean blood hemoglobin volume (P=0.0001), erythrocyte sedimentation rate (P=0.0001), C-reactive protein (P=0.0001), age (P=0.0001), height, and weight (P=0.0001). Conclusion and Discussion: This study identified several risk factors associated with cardiovascular diseases in children, including family history, blood parameters, and anthropometric measurements. Due to the multiple risk factors for heart diseases, it is recommended to establish a detailed plan to further investigate risk factors and implement effective measures to reduce these risks.
Keywords: Epidemiology, Cardiovascular Diseases, Children