Key result
Pediatric cataracts in Nigeria carry high systemic morbidity, with cardiac disease identified in ~40%.
Why the study?
Systemic comorbidities including congenital heart diseases are common in children with cataracts and contribute to childhood morbidity and mortality in Nigeria.
Observational (n=66)
Systemic comorbidities, particularly congenital heart diseases and Congenital Rubella Syndrome, are highly prevalent among children with cataracts in Nigeria, highlighting the need for routine rubella immunization.
May indicate need for cardiac evaluation in childhood cataracts; hypothesis-generating in this Nigerian cohort and requires prospective validation.
Background. Congenital and developmental cataracts are leading causes of childhood blindness and severe visual impairment. They may be associated with systemic diseases including congenital heart diseases which are among the major causes of morbidity and mortality in childhood. The pattern of systemic comorbidities seen in children diagnosed with cataract in Calabar, Nigeria, was studied. Methods. A retrospective review was conducted on the children who had cataract surgery between 2011 and 2012. Diagnosis of the systemic condition was documented. Results. A total of 66 children were recruited for the study. Cardiac disease was seen in 26 children (39.9%), followed by delayed milestone in 16 (24.2%), intellectual disability in 14 (21.2%), deafness in 11 (16.7%), epilepsy in 4 (6.1%), and physical handicap in 3 (4.5%) of them. Clinically confirmed Congenital Rubella Syndrome was seen in 30 (45%) of the children. The pattern of CHD seen was as follows: patent ductus arteriosus in 16 (24.2%) followed by ventricular-septal defect in 5 (7.6%), atrial-septal defect in 3 (4.5%), and pulmonary stenosis in 2 (3%). Conclusion. Systemic comorbidities, especially cardiac anomalies, are common among children with cataract in Nigeria. Congenital Rubella Syndrome may be a prominent cause of childhood cataract in our environment. Routine immunization of school girls against rubella is advocated as a measure to mitigate this trend.
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Duke et al. (2015) conducted an observational in Childhood cataracts (n=66). Childhood cataract was evaluated on Pattern of systemic comorbidities. Among children with cataracts in Nigeria, systemic comorbidities were common, with cardiac disease present in 39.9% and clinically confirmed Congenital Rubella Syndrome in 45%.
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