Non-biased 502 consecutive neonates were examined by sectorial and color Doppler flow imaging at a mean age of 1.0 day (SD 0.4). Patent foramen ovale was present in 266 (53%) and transient patent ductus arteriosus in 104 (21%). Cardiac disorders were recognized in 19 (3.8%); ventricular septal defect (VSD) in 10; atrial septal defect (ASD) in 4; pulmonary stenosis in 2; aortic stenosis, endocardial cushion defect and tricuspid regurgitation in 1 each. With a spontaneous closure of 8 VSDs and 4 ASDs during the first 12 months, the incidences of cardiac malformation were, consequently, 3.2% at 1 month, 1.4% at 6 months and 1.0% at 12 months.

No abstract

Among the 302 children with Kawasaki disease (KD) who were evaluated by angiography from 1973 through 1992, 9 (3.0%) had either an occlusion (OC) or segmental stenosis (SS) of the right coronary artery. The interval from the onset of KD to the recognition of OC or SS ranged from 0.5 to 7.7 years (median 4.0 years). Left coronary arterial lesions were also present in 8 of 9 patients. In spite of severe sequelae, children or young adolescents with cardiovascular system-related symptoms were unexpectedly rare. Asymptomatic patients, however, are also at risk of developing myocardial infarction since they have been shown to have a high rate of abnormalities on myocardial scintigraphy. A close observation and careful follow-up are thus considered to be indispensable.