Association between echocardiographic findings and anthropometric characteristics in patients with tetralogy of Fallot at Da Nang Hospital
Main Article Content
Abstract
Tetralogy of Fallot (TOF) is a complex congenital heart disease characterized by multiple associated defects, in which transthoracic echocardiography (TTE) plays a pivotal role in diagnosis and follow-up. Analyzing the relationship between echocardiographic findings and anthropometric factors is of clinical importance in assessing disease severity and guiding treatment strategies. Objectives: To evaluate the association between TTE features and anthropometric characteristics in patients with TOF allot. Materials and methods: A descriptive, retrospective analytic study was conducted on 70 medical records of patients with TOF at Da Nang Hospital from 2011 to 2022. Results: Ventricular septal defect size increased significantly with age (p < 0.001), with no significant difference between genders (p = 0.396). The pressure gradient across the pulmonary artery (PA) was higher in females and increased with age (p < 0.05). Pulmonary artery dimensions including annulus, trunk, left PA, and right PA also increased progressively across age groups (p < 0.05). Right ventricular hypertrophy was nearly universal in patients < 2 years old (97.3%) and ≥ 18 years old (100%), but lower in the 2 – <18 year group (79.2%, p = 0.029). No significant difference was observed in aortic override by age or gender. Conclusion: Echocardiographic features in TOF patients are significantly influenced by age and gender. Ventricular septal defect size correlates with age, pulmonary artery gradients vary by both age and gender, and right ventricular hypertrophy differs across age groups. These findings highlight the need for timely and individualized management strategies.
Article Details
Keywords
Transthoracic echocardiography (TTE), tetralogy of Fallot (TOF), association, imaging, anthropometry
References
2. Apostolopoulou SC, Manginas A, Kelekis NL, Noutsias M. Cardiovascular imaging approach in pre and postoperative tetralogy of Fallot. BMC cardiovascular disorders. Jan 7 2019; 19(1): 7. doi:https://doi.org/10.1186/s12872-018-0996-9.
3. Sánchez Ramírez CJ, Pérez de Isla L. Tetralogy of Fallot: cardiac imaging evaluation. Annals of translational medicine. 2020; 8(15): 966. doi:https://doi.org/10.21037/atm.2020.02.18.
4. Hằng NTT, Trường NLT, Mai NT, Quang LH, Anh NTH, Vân ĐTH. Đặc điểm lâm sàng, siêu âm tim và kết quả phẫu thuật tứ chứng fallot không van động mạch phổi tại Bệnh viện Nhi Trung ương. Tạp chí Nghiên cứu Y học. 06/20 2023; 167(6): 221-229. doi:https://doi.org/10.52852/tcncyh.v167i6.1716.
5. Daliento L, Dal Bianco L, Bagato F, et al. Gender differences and role of pregnancy in the history of post-surgical women affected by tetralogy of Fallot. PloS one. 2012; 7(12): e49729. doi:https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0049729.
6. Freilinger S, Andonian C, Beckmann J, et al. Differences in the experiences and perceptions of men and women with congenital heart defects: A call for gender-sensitive, specialized, and integrative care. International Journal of Cardiology Congenital Heart Disease. 2021/08/01/ 2021; 4:100185. doi:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijcchd.2021.100185.
7. Hagdorn QAJ, Beurskens NEG, Gorter TM, et al. Sex differences in patients with repaired tetralogy of Fallot support a tailored approach for males and females: a cardiac magnetic resonance study. Int J Cardiovasc Imaging. Oct 2020; 36(10): 1997-2005. doi:https://doi.org/10.1007/s10554-020-01900-x.
8. Sabarigirivasan V, Sivera RS, Crucean AC, Cook AC. The ventricular septal defect in tetralogy of Fallot: A multi-centre morphological and statistical shape analysis study. European Heart Journal. 2024; 45(Supplement_1)doi:https://doi.org/10.1093/eurheartj/ehae666.2110.
9. Alahmadi MH, Oliver TI. Ventricular Septal Defect. StatPearls. StatPearls Publishing; 2025.
10. Geva T, Ayres NA, Pac FA, Pignatelli R. Quantitative morphometric analysis of progressive infundibular obstruction in tetralogy of Fallot. A prospective longitudinal echocardiographic study. Circulation. Aug 15 1995; 92(4): 886-92. doi:https://doi.org/10.1161/01.cir.92.4.886.
11. Bhattacharya S, Sen S, Levy PT, Rios DR. Comprehensive Evaluation of Right Heart Performance and Pulmonary Hemodynamics in Neonatal Pulmonary Hypertension : Evaluation of cardiopulmonary performance in neonatal pulmonary hypertension. Current treatment options in cardiovascular medicine. Feb 15 2019; 21(2): 10. doi:https://doi.org/10.1007/s11936-019-0713-8.
12. Petit Christopher J, Glatz Andrew C, Goldstone Andrew B, et al. Pulmonary Artery Hypoplasia in Neonates With Tetralogy of Fallot. JACC. 2023/08/15 2023; 82(7): 615-627. doi:10.1016/j.jacc.2023.05.051.
13. Tshilombo S, Bilugan R, Feeney A, et al. Right-sided weakness in a Rwandan patient with untreated Tetralogy of Fallot. International journal of emergency medicine. Mar 14 2023; 16(1): 19. doi:https://doi.org/10.1186/s12245-023-00494-0.