Incidence of Congenital Heart Disease in Neonate by Color Doppler Echocardiography

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE: Many reports exist about the frequency of congenital heart disease (CHD) in the world, but according to the definition of CHD and subjects of study group, many differences existed between the reports. We conducted this study to evaluate the incidence and frequency of CHD by color Doppler echocardiography in neonate, and to suggest a preliminary model of incidence of neonatal CHD in Korea. METHODS: During July 1992 to June 1995, we conducted echocardiography in 285 babies who were suspected as having a CHD. RESULTS: Among the 16,672 neonate born alive at Dong San Hospital, 121 patients with CHD were identified by color Doppler echocardiography (7.26/1,000 live birth). The incidence of CHD of neonate born at our hospital were as follows: Among 121 cases, ventricualr septal defect 37.2%, atrial septal defect 17.4%, patent ductus arteriosus 12.4%, tetraology of Fallot 4.1%, transposition of great artery 4.1%. The incidence of CHD of neonate born at another hospital were as follow: Among 169 cases, ventricular septal defect 53.8%, atrial septal defect 14.2%, tetralogy of Fallot 7.7%. pulmonary stenosis 5.3%, transposition of great artery4.1%. The incidence of isolated ventricular septal defect were as follow: Perimembranous defect 79.4%, muscular defect 14.7%, subpulmonic defect 5.9%. CONCLUSION: In this study, the incidence of CHD was 7.26 per 1000 live births. The incidence of tetralogy of Fallot in neonate was less than that of in children. and among VSD, the incidence of muscular type was relatively high.