Changing prevalence of severe congenital heart disease: Results from the National Register for Congenital Heart Defects in Germany

Abstract

Our study shows a growing number of registered severe CHD in the recent decade in Germany. This development is noteworthy as it implicates a growing demand for first intensive hospital care, expert pediatric cardiologic aftercare, and consequently higher economic impact for this patient population.

Patients with congenital heart defect and their families support genetic heart research

“…The participants were registered in the German National Register of Congenital Heart Defects (NRCHD). Due to the anonymous character of the survey, there is no information on the specific cardiac diagnoses but we assume that the distribution of CHD reflects the patient population of the NRCHD, which is representative for frequency scale in Germany and Europe …”

“…The survey was carried out anonymously. An overview of the patient population and the cardiac diagnoses within the NRCHD is given by Helm et al and Pfitzer et al…”

Regional differences in right versus left congenital heart disease diagnoses in neonates in the United States

“…Others have observed this trend as well, particularly for mild CHD such as atrial septal defects (Botto, Correa, & Erickson, ; Egbe et al ; Fixler et al ; Wren, Richmond, & Donaldson, ). In Europe, the prevalence of both simple and complex CHD has increased significantly in the last two decades (Pfitzer et al, ). The explanation for these observations is multifactorial.…”

“…While a few US‐based studies have reported differences in the prevalence of CHD across states and regions, little is known about larger, national trends (Ferencz et al ; Fixler, Pastor, Chamberlin, Sigman, & Eifler, ; Mayberry, Scott, & Goldberg, ; Reller, Strickland, Riehle‐Colarusso, Mahle, & Correa, ; Wilson, Correa‐Villasenor, Loffredo, & Ferencz, ). Also, recent prevalence reports have classified CHD by severity rather than by shared anatomical features (Gilboa et al ; Pfitzer et al ; Warnes et al ). Presenting geographic trends by phenotype can guide future investigations of epigenetic risk factors for particular types of CHD.…”

“…. Also, recent prevalence reports have classified CHD by severity rather than by shared anatomical features (Gilboa et al 2016;Pfitzer et al 2017;Warnes et al 2001). Presenting geographic trends by phenotype can guide future investigations of epigenetic risk factors for particular types of CHD.…”