Incidence of Structural Cardiac Disorders in Neonates: An Evaluation by Color Doppler Echocardiography and the Results of a 1-Year Follow-Up

Abstract

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.

Ventricular Septal Defects

“…6 The incidence of VSDs, which has increased dramatically with advances in imaging and screening of infants, ranges from 1.56 to 53.2 per 1000 live births. [7][8][9] The ease of detection of small muscular VSDs is reflected in the higher incidence rates. A large review of the literature estimated the median incidence of VSDs at 2829 per 1 million live births.…”

Association Between Maternal Chronic Conditions and Congenital Heart Defects

“…19,27,[30][31][32][33] The increasing availability of echocardiography with a resultant increase in the diagnosis of minor defects in asymptomatic infants is a potential explanation. 26,[31][32][33][34] In addition, large variations were observed between regions that may reflect true differences or possibly an artifact of differences in documentation and case ascertainment.…”

Cardiopatia congênita no recém-nascido: da solicitação do pediatra à avaliação do cardiologista

“…Flow acceleration through the aortic valve was observed in some cases, without exceeding the criterion of 160 cm/s to indicate an evident stenosis 15 . Although the criterion of flow velocity higher than 120 cm/s had been used to define pulmonary stenosis, all cases observed and defined as stenosis in this study had gradients higher than 25 mmHg.…”

“…Although some studies use a higher than 5-mm-diameter defect with dilation of the right chambers as a parameter to establish this diagnosis 15 , all cases with continuous left atrial to right atrial flow were classified as atrial septal defects. Regarding the presence of heart failure, four out of the five (80%) patients diagnosed with complete atrioventricular septal defect and those with aortic arch interruption, transposition of the great arteries, and truncus arteriosus were referred for this reason.…”