Factors associated with mortality in congenital malformations of the gastrointestinal tract in a tertiary center in Senegal

Florent Tshibwid A Zeng; Papa Alassane Mbaye; Doudou Gueye; Ndèye Fatou Seck; Ibrahima Bocar Wellé; Rosalie Niang; Youssouph Diedhiou; Mbaye Fall; Ndèye Aby Ndoye; Aloïse Sagna; Oumar Ndour; Gabriel Ngom

doi:10.1136/wjps-2022-000463

Factors associated with mortality in congenital malformations of the gastrointestinal tract in a tertiary center in Senegal

World J Pediatr Surg. 2023 Jan 19;6(1):e000463. doi: 10.1136/wjps-2022-000463. eCollection 2022.

Affiliations

¹ Department of Pediatric Surgery, Albert Royer National Children's Hospital Center, Université Cheikh Anta Diop Faculté de Medecine Pharmacie d'Odonto-Stomatologie, Dakar, Senegal.
² Department of Pediatric Surgery, Aristide Le Dantec University Teaching Hospital, Université Cheikh Anta Diop Faculté de Medecine Pharmacie d'Odonto-Stomatologie, Dakar, Senegal.

Abstract

Objective: Patients with congenital malformations (CMs) of the gastrointestinal tract (GIT) have a very high mortality. However, the literature on the factors associated with mortality in these patients is scarce in sub-Saharan Africa. The aim of this study is to identify independent risk factors for mortality in patients with CMs of the GIT at our pediatric surgical department.

Methods: We conducted a retrospective analysis of cases with CMs of the GIT managed at a tertiary center from 2018 to 2021. Patients were subdivided into two groups based on the outcomes, and variables with a significant difference were analyzed by logistic regression.

Results: Our review included 226 patients, 63 of whom died (27.88%). Patient age ranged from 0 to 15 years. Taking into account statistical significance, mortality was more frequent in neonates than in older patients (57.30% vs 6.15%), in patients coming out of the Dakar area than in those from the Dakar area (43.75% vs 19.18%), in patients with abnormal prenatal ultrasound than in those with normal ultrasound (100% vs 26.67%), in premature children than in those born at term (78.57% vs 21.87%), in patients with an additional malformation than in those with an isolated malformation (69.23% vs 25.35%), and in those with intestinal, esophageal, duodenal and colonic atresia than in those with other diagnoses (100%, 89%, 56.25% and 50%, respectively). Referred patients died more than those who changed hospitals or came from home (55.29% vs 25% and 9.09%, respectively). On multivariable logistic regression, two independent factors of mortality were identified: presence of associated malformation [odds ratio (OR)=13.299; 95% Confidence interval (CI) 1.370 to 129.137] and diagnosis of esophageal atresia (OR=46.529; 95% CI 5.828 to 371.425).

Conclusion: The presence of an associated malformation or diagnosis of esophageal atresia increases mortality in patients with CMs of the GIT in our environment.

Keywords: congenital abnormalities; mortality; pediatrics.