MEAN CARDIAC SIZE PARAMETERS IN AN ADULT GHANAIAN POPULATION
(RUNNING TITLE: MEAN CARDIAC SIZE PARAMETERS IN GHANAIAN ADULTS)
Edmund K. Brakohiapa1, Eric K. Ofori 2 & Jerry Coleman 3
1 University of Ghana, School of Medicine and Dentistry,Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital, Korle-Bu, Accra, Ghana
2, School of Allied Health Sciences, College of Health Sciences, University of Ghana
3, Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital, Korle-Bu, Accra, Ghana
Email: ebrakohiapa2000@yahoo.com, erikof2001@yahoo.co.uk & jerryc714@yahoo.com
ABSTRACT:
PROBLEM STATEMENT: Plain chest radiography is a quick, non-invasive way to evaluate the size of the heart. There is a lack of local data on the normal range of heart sizes parameters for Ghanaian adults. This study therefore aims to generate values for mean heart sizes of Ghanaians.
APPROACH: Aretrospective study involved the reviewof 1047 radiological images of adults aged 20 to 80 years, who had plain frontal chest radiographs between January 2012 and November 2013 by 3 radiologists. Data recorded included the transverse cardiac and thoracic diameter and the cardiothoracic ratios. Descriptive and inferential analyses were carried out using the statistical package for social scientist version 17.
RESULTS: The mean age and standard deviation for the study population was 35.1 ± 12.7. The mean and standard deviations for the transverse cardiac diameter, thoracic diameter, and the cardiothoracic ratios for male participants were 13.08cm ± 1.2, 29.7cm ± 2.7 and 46.6 % ± 3.9, and 12.9 cm ± 1.3, 27.1 cm ± 2.6, and 47.8 % ± 4.8 for females. Significant differences (p-values = 0.001) for all the variables were observed between males and females. Significant differences in measurements were observed in males between the 21 – 40years age group and the 41 – 60 years age group only, with respect to the TCD (p= 0.001), CTR (P= 0.032) and TTD (P= 0.001), whilst for females, significant differences were observed in the measurements of TCD and CTR between the age group 21-40 only and all other age groups.
CONCLUSION: The measured average transverse cardiac diameter, transverse thoracic diameter and cardiothoracic ratio for selected Ghanaian adults varied from values suggested by authors in and outside Ghana. Differences in the values between the sexes and among age groups were also observed.
Keywords: Heart Sizes, Transverse Cardiac Diameter, Cardio-Thoracic Ratio.