Doppler Phonolyser in comparison with conventional statoscope in detecting and interpreting abnormal Heart murmurs in congenital and structural heart defects

Abstract

Background: Detecting heart murmurs by a newly invented Doppler Phonolyser machine is compared with the conventional stethoscope. Methods: In a cross-sectional study, a total of 112 patients referred to the pediatric cardiology clinic at were enrolled between Jan. 2017 and Jan. 2018. In step one, the patients were initially examined by a pediatric cardiologist, and then in step two,; they were randomly divided into two groups (A and B) and were blindly re-examined by a 2nd-year pediatric resident. In Group A (Statoscope group), heart auscultation was performed using only a conventional Statoscope whereas, in Group B (Statoscope + DPM), heart sounds were detected and analyzed using a stethoscope and Doppler Phonolyser Machine. In the third step, the diagnostic results made by the pediatric cardiologist, the pediatric residents in groups A and B were compared with the final diagnostic echocardiography made by a pediatric cardiologist. Results: Heart murmurs as one of the most common reasons for cardiologist referrals consist of about 65% of referrals to pediatric cardiologists. There was only a moderate correlation between a Stethoscope stethoscope and echocardiography to identify cardiac abnormality based on heart murmurs (56%), whilste there was a significant correlation between the diagnoses made by Doppler Phonolyser accompanied with the conventional statoscope when compared with the echocardiography results. Conclusion: Doppler Phonolyser is an innovative smart machine that could efficiently detect and analyze abnormal heart sounds and might play a role in more accurate and earlier diagnosis of congenital and structural heart defects by general physicians and non-cardiologist specialists, and may potentially reduce the mortality, morbidity, and cost of treatment as well as anxiety of the patient's family.