Expression Profiles and Functional Analysis of Plasma Exosomal Circular RNAs in Acute Myocardial Infarction.

Acute myocardial infarction (AMI) is a common cardiovascular disease with high rates of morbidity and mortality globally. The dysregulation of circular RNAs (circRNAs) has been shown to be closely related to various pathological aspects of AMI. However, the function of exosomal circRNAs in AMI has yet to be investigated. The purpose of this study was to investigate the expression profiles of plasma exosomal circRNAs in AMI and explore their potential functionality. The expression profiles of plasma exosomal circRNAs in patients with AMI, stable coronary heart atherosclerotic disease (CAD), and healthy controls were obtained from a GEO expression dataset (GSE159657). We also analyzed bioinformatics functionality, potential pathways, and interaction networks related to the microRNAs associated with the differentially expressed circRNAs. A total of 253 exosomal circRNAs (184 up- and 69 down-regulated) and 182 exosomal circRNAs (94 up- and 88 down-regulated) were identified as being differentially expressed between the control group and the AMI and CAD patients, respectively. Compared with the CAD group, 231 different exosomal circRNAs (177 up- and 54 down-regulated) were identified in the AMI group. Functional analysis suggested that the parental genes of exosomal has_circ_0061776 were significantly enriched in the biological process of lysine degradation. Pathway interaction network analysis further indicated that exosomal has_circ_0061776 was associated with has-miR-133a, has-miR-214, has-miR-423, and has-miR-217 and may play a role in the pathogenesis of AMI through the MAPK signaling pathway. This study identified the differential expression and functionality of exosomal circRNAs in AMI and provided further understanding of the potential pathogenesis of an exosomal circRNA-related competing endogenous RNA (ceRNA) network in AMI.

Cost-Effectiveness analysis of combining plasma Epstein-Barr virus DNA testing and different surveillance imaging modalities for nasopharyngeal carcinoma patients in first remission.

BACKGROUND: To evaluate the cost-effectiveness of stage-based post-radiotherapy (PRT) nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) surveillance strategies. METHODS: Four post-radiotherapy surveillance strategies were established by a Markov model based on data from 1664 patients: 1) clinical follow-up (CFP) with biannual Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) DNA (EBV DNA strategy); 2) CFP with biannual EBV DNA, annual head and neck magnetic resonance imaging (HNMRI), chest X-ray, abdominal ultrasonography, bone scan (only for the first two years) for five years (MCWU strategy); 3) CFP with biannual EBV DNA, annual HNMRI, chest, abdomen, pelvic computerized tomography (CT) and bone scan for the first two years, followed by annual MCWU strategy (without bone scans) for the last three years (CT strategy); 4) CFP with biannual EBV DNA, annual whole-body positron emission/computerized tomography (PET/CT) for the first two years and biannual EBV DNA for the last three years (PET/CT strategy). RESULTS: Compared with the EBV DNA strategy, the MCWU, CT, and PET/CT strategies gained 0.017, 0.047, and 0.082 quality-adjusted life years (QALY) for stage I-II patients. For stage III and IVa patients, the PET/CT strategy had a favorable incremental effectiveness (ICERs) of 0.277 and 0.385 QALY, respectively. The ICERs for the MCWU, CT, and PET/CT strategies were $74,037, $34,882, and $34,696 for stage III and $62,364, $27,981, and $28,340 for stage IVa, respectively. CONCLUSION: EBV DNA strategy was cost-effective for the long-term surveillance of stage I-II NPC patients with CR. PET/CT strategy was recommeded for patients having IVa NPC. As for stage III NPC, PET/CT strategy was still acceptable with the development of economy in China.

Maternal smoking status during pregnancy and low birth weight in offspring: systematic review and meta-analysis of 55 cohort studies published from 1986 to 2020.

BACKGROUND: Maternal smoking during pregnancy may be associated with low birth weight (LBW) in offspring and global risk estimates have not been summarized previously. We aimed to systematically explore evidence regarding maternal smoking and the LBW risk in offspring globally and examine possible causes of heterogeneity across relevant studies. METHODS: Comprehensive search of PubMed, Ovid Embase, Ovid Medline (R), and Web of science from inception until October 2021 was carried out. A random-effects meta-analysis was used to estimate the pooled odds ratio (OR) and corresponding 95% confidence interval (CI). Restricted cubic spline analysis with three knots was used to further examine the dose-response relationship. RESULTS: Literature searches yielded 4940 articles, of which 53 met inclusion criteria (comprising 55 independent studies). Maternal smoking during pregnancy was significantly associated with the risk of LBW in offspring (OR = 1.89, 95% CI = 1.80-1.98). Furthermore, an obvious dose-response relationship between the amount of cigarettes daily smoked in pregnancy and the risk of LBW in offspring was observed. The results of subgroup analyses indicated that the risk of maternal smoking on LBW was larger in more recently conducted studies (P = 0.020) and longer period of active smoking during pregnancy (P = 0.002). No evidence of publication bias was found. CONCLUSIONS: In summary, maternal smoking in pregnancy was significantly associated with a higher risk of LBW in offspring on a global scale. The risk of maternal smoking on infant LBW seems to be increasing over time, and was higher with longer smoking duration throughout pregnancy and more cigarettes smoked daily.

Initial Analysis on the Characteristics and Synthesis of Exopolysaccharides from Sclerotium rolfsii with Different Sugars as Carbon Sources.

Scleroglucan is widely used in the food and chemical industries because of its good rheological property, stability, and emulsification activity. To investigate the influence of different carbon sources on the properties and synthesis of exopolysaccharides (EPS), the three EPSs (GEPS, glucose was used as the carbon source; LEPS, lactose was used as the carbon source; and SEPS, sucrose was used as the carbon source) were determined, respectively. It was found that the yield and viscosity of exopolysaccharides were different. When sucrose and glucose were used as the carbon sources, the viscosity and yield of EPS were both higher than lactose. The scanning electron microscopy (SEM) images showed that the three EPSs had different morphologies, but the monosaccharide analysis showed that they were all composed of glucose units. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) proved that there were no additional substituents for the three EPSs. Furthermore, the high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) results showed that SEPS and LEPS had two fractions. Through the analysis of proteomics data, there were few differences in the metabolic pathways between GEPS and SEPS, but a significant difference between LEPS and SEPS. Our study provides a theoretical basis and reference for understanding the biosynthesis of exopolysaccharides and the development of different types of EPS products.

Phenomapping of subgroups in hypertensive patients using unsupervised data-driven cluster analysis: An exploratory study of the SPRINT trial.

BACKGROUND: Hypertensive patients are highly heterogeneous in cardiovascular prognosis and treatment responses. A better classification system with phenomapping of clinical features would be of greater value to identify patients at higher risk of developing cardiovascular outcomes and direct individual decision-making for antihypertensive treatment. METHODS: An unsupervised, data-driven cluster analysis was performed for all baseline variables related to cardiovascular outcomes and treatment responses in subjects from the Systolic Blood Pressure Intervention Trial (SPRINT), in order to identify distinct subgroups with maximal within-group similarities and between-group differences. Cox regression was used to calculate hazard ratios (HRs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for cardiovascular outcomes and compare the effect of intensive antihypertensive treatment in different clusters. RESULTS: Four replicable clusters of patients were identified: cluster 1 (index hypertensives); cluster 2 (chronic kidney disease hypertensives); cluster 3 (obese hypertensives) and cluster 4 (extra risky hypertensives). In terms of prognosis, individuals in cluster 4 had the highest risk of developing primary outcomes. In terms of treatment responses, intensive antihypertensive treatment was shown to be beneficial only in cluster 4 (HR 0.73, 95% CI 0.55-0.98) and cluster 1 (HR 0.54, 95% CI 0.37-0.79) and was associated with an increased risk of severe adverse effects in cluster 2 (HR 1.18, 95% CI 1.05-1.32). CONCLUSION: Using a data-driven approach, SPRINT subjects can be stratified into four phenotypically distinct subgroups with different profiles on cardiovascular prognoses and responses to intensive antihypertensive treatment. Of note, these results should be taken as hypothesis generating that warrant further validation in future prospective studies.

Concurrent chemoradiotherapy with nedaplatin versus cisplatin in stage II-IVB nasopharyngeal carcinoma: an open-label, non-inferiority, randomised phase 3 trial.

BACKGROUND: Cisplatin-based concurrent chemoradiotherapy is currently considered to be the standard treatment regimen for patients with advanced nasopharyngeal carcinoma, but has well known side-effects such as gastrointestinal reactions, nephrotoxicity, and ototoxicity. Nedaplatin was developed to decrease the toxic effects induced by cisplatin, and in this trial we assessed whether a nedaplatin-based concurrent chemoradiotherapy regimen was non-inferior to a cisplatin-based regimen in patients with locoregional, stage II-IVB nasopharyngeal carcinoma. METHODS: We did an open-label, non-inferiority, phase 3, randomised, controlled trial at two centres in China. Patients aged 18-65 years with non-keratinising stage II-IVB (T1-4N1-3 or T3-4N0) nasopharyngeal carcinoma, a Karnofsky score of at least 70, and adequate haematological, renal, and hepatic function were randomly assigned (1:1) to receive intravenously either nedaplatin 100 mg/m2 or cisplatin 100 mg/m2 on days 1, 22, and 43 for three cycles concurrently with intensity-modulated radiotherapy. Randomisation was done manually using a computer-generated random number code and patients were stratified by treatment centre and clinical stage. Patients and clinicians were not masked to treatment allocation. The primary endpoint was progression-free survival at 2 years; non-inferiority was shown if the upper limit of the 95% CI for the difference in 2-year progression-free survival between the two groups did not exceed 10%. Analyses were by both intention to treat and per protocol, including all patients who received at least one complete cycle of chemotherapy. This trial is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, number NCT01540136, and is currently in follow-up. FINDINGS: Between Jan 16, 2012, and July 16, 2014, we randomly assigned 402 patients to nedaplatin-based (n=201) or cisplatin-based (n=201) concurrent chemoradiotherapy. In the intention-to-treat population, 2-year progression-free survival was 89·9% (95% CI 85·8-94·0) in the cisplatin group and 88·0% (83·5-94·5) in the nedaplatin group, with a difference of 1·9% (95% CI -4·2 to 8·0; pnon-inferiority=0·0048). In the per-protocol analysis (cisplatin group, n=197; nedaplatin group, n=196), 2-year progression-free survival was 89·7% (95% CI 85·4-94·0) in the cisplatin group and 88·7% (84·2-94·5) in the nedaplatin group, with a difference of 1·0% (95% CI -5·2 to 7·0; pnon-inferiority=0·0020). A significantly higher frequency of grade 3 or 4 vomiting (35 [18%] of 198 in the cisplatin group vs 12 [6%] of 200 in the nedaplatin group, p<0·0001), nausea (18 [9%] vs four [2%], p=0·0021), and anorexia (53 [27%] vs 26 [13%], p=0·00070) was observed in the cisplatin group compared with the nedaplatin group. 11 (6%) patients in the nedaplatin group had grade 3 or 4 thrombocytopenia compared with four (2%) in the cisplatin group (p=0·065). Patients in the cisplatin group had a higher frequency of any grade or grade 3 or 4 late auditory or hearing toxicities than did patients in the nedaplatin group (grade 3 or 4: three [2%] in the nedaplatin group vs 11 [6%] in the cisplatin group, p=0·030). No patients died from treatment-related causes. INTERPRETATION: Our findings show that nedaplatin-based concurrent chemoradiotherapy represents an alternative doublet treatment strategy to cisplatin-based concurrent chemoradiotherapy for patients with locoregional, advanced nasopharyngeal carcinoma. Further investigations are needed to explore the potential use of this treatment as induction or adjuvant chemotherapy or in combination with other agents. FUNDING: National Key R&D Program of China, National Natural Science Foundation of China, Sun Yat-sen University Clinical Research 5010 Program, Sci-Tech Project Foundation of Guangzhou City, National Key Basic Research Program of China, Special Support Plan of Guangdong Province, Sci-Tech Project Foundation of Guangdong Province, Health & Medical Collaborative Innovation Project of Guangzhou City, National Science & Technology Pillar Program during the Twelfth Five-year Plan Period, PhD Start-up Fund of Natural Science Foundation of Guangdong Province, Cultivation Foundation for the Junior Teachers in Sun Yat-sen University, and Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities.

Assessment of Rectal Tumors with Shear-Wave Elastography before Surgery: Comparison with Endorectal US.

Purpose To compare the value of endorectal ultrasonography (US) with shear-wave elastography (SWE) in staging rectal tumors before surgery. Materials and Methods This prospective study was approved by the institutional review board and written informed consent was obtained. In a pilot cohort from April 2015 to January 2016, 70 patients with rectal adenocarcinomas and/or adenomas confirmed with histopathologic examination underwent both endorectal US and SWE. Tumor stiffness and three regions of reference backgrounds, as well as tumor stiffness ratios (SRs) versus these backgrounds, were analyzed. The optimal staging feature was selected by using receiver operating characteristic analysis, and the concordance rate with pathologic stage was analyzed and compared with endorectal US. The results were validated in an independent cohort of 30 patients from February 2016 to July 2016. Results In the pilot study, from rectal adenoma to stage T3 cancers, the tumor stiffness, stiffness of peritumoral fat, tumor SR versus distant perirectal fat, and tumor SR versus normal rectal wall were significantly increased (all P < .05, correlation coefficients between SWE features and pathologic T stages were 0.589-0.853). Receiver operating characteristic analysis of tumor staging demonstrated that tumor stiffness was the optimal feature with the highest area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC = 0.991-1.000). The cutoff values of stage T1, T2, and T3 cancers were 26.9 kPa, 70.3 kPa, and 112.0 kPa, respectively. For SWE, the diagnostic concordance rate with pathologic stage (95.7%, weighted κ = 0.962) was higher than that of endorectal US (75.7%, weighted κ = 0.756). In the validation cohort, similar findings were revealed for diagnostic concordance rate (93.3% vs 76.7%; weighted κ = 0.927 vs 0.651) and diagnostic performance of tumor staging (AUC = 0.950-1.000 vs 0.700-0.833). Conclusion By using the feature of tumor stiffness at SWE, the accuracy of preoperative staging for rectal tumors was improved compared with endorectal US in the pilot study, but was not significantly different in the validation cohort, potentially due to small sample size. © RSNA, 2017 Online supplemental material is available for this article.

Diagnostic nomogram for gallbladder wall thickening mimicking malignancy: using contrast-enhanced ultrasonography or multi-detector computed tomography?

OBJECTIVES: To establish a diagnostic nomogram using contrast-enhanced ultrasonography (CEUS) in gallbladder wall thickening mimicking malignancy and compare with multi-detector computed tomography (MDCT). METHODS: Seventy-two patients with gallbladder wall thickening on B-mode ultrasonography (BUS) were examined by CEUS to develop independent predictors for diagnosing gallbladder carcinoma. Among the 72 cases, 48 patients underwent both CEUS and MDCT. The diagnostic performances of different sets of CEUS criteria and MDCT were compared. A prediction model of malignancy using CEUS was developed. The performance of the nomogram was assessed with respect to its calibration, discrimination, and clinical usefulness. RESULTS: Multivariate logistic regression indicated that inhomogeneous enhancement in the arterial phase was the strongest independent predictor of malignancy (odds ratio, OR 51.162), followed by interrupted inner layer (OR 19.788), washout time ≤40 s (OR 16.686), and wall thickness >1.6 cm (OR 3.019), which were all selected into the nomogram. Combined with the above significant features, the diagnostic performance of CEUS (AUC = 0.917) was higher than that of MDCT (AUC = 0.788, P = 0.070). The predictive model using CEUS showed good discrimination, with a concordance index of 0.974 (0.950 through internal validation), and good calibration. Decision curve analysis demonstrated that the nomogram was clinically useful. CONCLUSIONS: CEUS could accurately differentiate between malignant and benign gallbladder wall thickening with equivalent efficacy compared to MDCT. The proposed nomogram could be conveniently used to facilitate the preoperative individualized prediction of malignancy in patients with gallbladder wall thickening.

Accumulation of steroid hormones in soil and its adjacent aquatic environment from a typical intensive vegetable cultivation of North China.

Steroid hormones released from manure agricultural application are a matter of global concern. The residual levels of steroid hormones were studied in a typical intensive vegetable cultivation area in northeast China, with a long history of heavy manure application. Seven steroids (estrone, 17α-estradiol, 17ß-estradiol, estriol, testosterone, androstendione and progesterone) were analyzed from soil sampled from vegetable greenhouses, from sediments and water from the adjacent drainage ditch and from the groundwater. The results showed that target steroids were detected in the soil samples, with detection frequencies varying from 3.13 to 100%. The steroid concentrations varied substantially in soils, ranging from below the detection limit to 109.7µg·kg(-1). Three steroids-progesterone, androstendione and estrone-were found to have relatively high residue concentrations in soil, with maximum concentrations of 109.7, 9.83 and 13.30µg·kg(-1), respectively. In adjacent groundwater, all the steroids, with the exception of estrone, were detected in one or more of the 13 groundwater samples. The concentrations of steroids in groundwater ranged from below the method detection limit to 2.38ng·L(-1). Six of the seven (excluding androstendione) were detected in drainage ditch water samples, with concentrations ranging from below the detection limit to 14ng·L(-1). Progesterone, androstendione and estrone accumulated relatively easily in soils; their concentrations in groundwater were lower than those of other steroids. The concentrations of testosterone and estriol were relatively low in soil, while in groundwater were higher than those of other steroids. The residual levels of steroids in soil and groundwater showed a clear spatial variation in the study area. The residual levels of steroid hormones in soil varied substantially between differently planted greenhouses.

[Analysis of environmental risk factors in congenital heart defects].

OBJECTIVE: To explore the environmental risk factors of different categories of congenital heart defects (CHD) and provide evidence for further risk factors and prevention research of CHD phenotypes. METHODS: Data of Guangdong CHD Register Study from 2004 to 2012 were used. In the study, 3 038 CHD cases and 3 038 paired controls from 34 hospitals distributed in 17 cities were registered and related information were collected using uniform, and structured questionnaires. All the CHD phenotypes were coded according to the International Classification of Diseases 10th Revision (ICD-10) and classified into 6 categories according to their pathological features. Univariate analyses were adopted to filter potential risk factors for each category of CHD. Then multivariate conditional Logistic regression was used to calculate the odds ratios of the risk factors for each category of CHD. RESULTS: The risk factors for left-to-right shunt CHD included low (OR=2.63, 95%CI:2.04-3.39) or over birth weight (OR=2.21, 95%CI: 1.47-3.32), premature delivery (OR=1.95, 95%CI: 1.53-2.49), polyembryony (OR=1.99, 95%CI: 1.22-3.26), maternal low education, mother as factory worker (OR=1.62, 95%CI: 1.32-1.98), parity≥2 (OR=1.38, 95%CI: 1.13-1.69), maternal abnormal reproduction history (OR=2.29, 95%CI: 1.75-3.01), fever (OR=2.38, 95%CI: 1.26-4.48), virus infection (OR=1.80, 95%CI: 1.29-2.51), medicine usage (OR=1.73, 95%CI: 1.11-2.69), passive smoking (OR=1.69, 95%CI: 1.26-2.29), chemical agent contact (OR=8.71, 95%CI: 2.33-32.58), living in newly decorated houses (OR=2.56, 95%CI: 1.60-4.09) or room close to the main road (OR=1.40, 95%CI: 1.14-1.72) in the first 3 months of pregnancy and father as factory worker (OR=1.46, 95%CI: 1.23-1.73). The risk factors for pulmonary outflow tract obstruction CHD included low (OR=5.98, 95%CI: 2.88-12.44) or over birth weight (OR=6.56, 95%CI:1.19-36.26), maternal low education, parity≥2 (OR=2.08, 95%CI: 1.03-4.22), virus infection in the first 3 months of pregnancy (OR=4.30, 95%CI: 1.27-13.45). The risk factors for left ventricular outflow tract obstruction CHD included father as factory worker (OR=6.01, 95%CI:1.05-34.59). The risk factors for transposition of the great arteries included low birth weight (OR=12.93, 95%CI:1.14-146.26), maternal low education, mother as factory worker (OR=3.69, 95%CI:1.53-8.91). The risk factors for conditions with intra cardiac mixing of oxygenated and deoxygenated blood included parity=2 (OR=3.45, 95%CI: 1.42-8.38). The risk factors for other CHD included over birth weight (OR=4.87, 95%CI: 1.19-19.94), maternal abnormal reproduction history (OR=2.96, 95%CI: 1.14-7.68), virus infection (OR=4.92, 95%CI: 1.56-15.47), medicine usage (OR=4.90, 95%CI: 1.22-19.77) or passive smoking (OR=10.31, 95%CI: 1.25-85.05) in the first 3 months of pregnancy. CONCLUSION: The environmental risk factors were discrepant among different categories of CHD. Further risk factors study of CHD phenotypes should be performed specially. To prevent CHD, attention should be paid to the risk factors which are related to multi or complex categories of CHD.

[Study on the differences of risk factors regarding congenital heart defects between floating population and permanent residents in Guangdong].

OBJECTIVE: To analyze the differences of risk factors on congenital heart defect (CHD)between floating population and permanent residents in Guangdong. METHODS: A multicenter case-control study was carried out to investigate the risk factors of CHD in floating population and in permanent residents. Data was from 34 Guangdong CHD Monitoring Network centers during the year of 2004 to 2011. Exposed information related to the parents at pre-pregnancy and early pregnancy periods, was collected, using the same questionnaire survey methodology in the two populations. Possible risk factors were analyzed by univariate analysis and multivariate non-conditional logistic regression(ENTER method)methods. Risk factors were compared between the two populations. RESULTS: Totally, 855 CHD cases and their controls from the floating population, as well as 1673 cases and their controls from the permanent residents were included in this study. Age of the children under study was defined from 28th week of gestation to 1 year old postnatal. In the floating population, specific risk factor for CHD appeared as:maternal passive smoking in early pregnancy, while the specific protective factor as high family income. However, the specific risk factors would include: having diseases as maternal diabetes mellitus or syphilis, living in a newly (within half a year) decorated house or with fetal macrosomia in the permanent residents. High education level showed as a risk factor in floating population, however contrarily, as protective factor to the permanent residents. Except for the factors related to having fever of the mother and infant with low birth weight, factors as having history of deliveries more than two, with maternal virus infection, exposure to chemical agent and negative bearing history etc., have higher OR values in floating population than in the permanent residents. CONCLUSION: Significant differences of risk factors for CHD were noticed between floating population and the permanent residents, which have their individual specific risk factors. Most of the ORs appeared higher in floating population than in the permanent residents.

[Risk factors of congenital heart defects in fetal and infants born from 2004 to 2011 in Guangdong].

OBJECTIVE: To analyze the risk factors of congenital heart defects (CHD) in fetal and infants born from 2004 to 2011 in Guangdong province. METHODS: Babies with CHD aged from 28th week of gestation to 1 year old postnatal from July 1 2004 to December 31 2011 were registered in Guangdong CHD monitoring network with 34 participating units. Totally 2568 CHD cases were included, and 1: 1 matched with a normal control cohort by gender, living district and birth date (time span within 3 months).Exposed information of mother and father at pre-pregnancy and early pregnancy was collected. Post collinearity diagnostics analysis, univariate analysis results were included in a multivariate analysis model with forward stepwise conditional logistic regression. RESULTS: Multivariate conditional logistic regression analysis showed that high risk factors for CHD included low birth weight infant (OR = 5.34, P < 0.01), macrosomia (OR = 1.67, P < 0.05), low per capita income (0-1200 yuan, OR = 1.68, P < 0.01), exposure to chemical agent at early pregnancy (OR = 19.72, P < 0.01), floating population (OR = 2.13, P < 0.01), abnormal reproductive history (OR = 3.18, P < 0.01), exposure to passive smoking (OR = 2.59, P < 0.01), suffering from fever (OR = 3.74, P < 0.01), equal to or more than twice parity (OR = 1.45, P < 0.01), living in a newly (within six months)-decorated-apartment (OR = 2.74, P < 0.01), suffering from virus infection (OR = 2.08, P < 0.01), rural residence (OR = 1.33, P < 0.01), living in an apartment within 50 meters of major traffic road (OR = 1.52, P < 0.01), syphilis infection at early pregnancy (OR = 13.06, P < 0.05) and father's drinking habit at pre-pregnancy (OR = 1.57, P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: Numerous risk factors for CHD in fetal and infants of Guangdong province are indicated by our results, comprehensive intervention should be considered in pre-pregnancy and early pregnancy to reduce the risk of CHD.

[Current prevalence rate of congenital heart disease in 12 month-old and younger infants among four regions of Guangdong province].

OBJECTIVE: To summarize prevalence rate and region distribution of congenital heart disease (CHD) in 12-month-old and younger infants among four regions of Guangdong province, China. METHODS: Data from Guangdong CHD monitoring network including 34 monitoring units covering different geographic regions were analyzed. Professional training on screening and diagnosing CHD was provided to each work group member to improve the diagnosis level. CHD infants under or aged 12 months detected in the monitoring unit were included. CHD was diagnosed by fetus and infants echocardiography. RESULTS: From July 2004 to December 2010, 383 281 perinatal were registered and 3263 cases of CHD were detected in the 34 member units of Guangdong CHD monitoring network [total prevalence rate of CHD: 0.851% (3263/383 281), male prevalence rate: 0.868% (1799/207 347), female prevalence rate:0.828% (1456/175 843)].Stillbirth CHD prevalence rate was significantly higher than livebirth CHD prevalence rate [10.627% (676/6361) vs. 0.686% (2587/376 920), P < 0.01]. The total prevalence of CHD was significantly higher in Pearl River Delta region [0.906% (2826/311 823)] than in other regions [0.611% (437/71 458), P < 0.01]. Ventricular septal defect [39.93% (1033/2587) in livebirth] was the most dominant CHD, followed by patent ductus arteriosus [29.84% (772/2587)] and secundum atrial septal defect [13.76% (356/2587)]. CONCLUSIONS: The present data indicate that the prevalence of CHD in Guangdong is at the medium-upper level of the country associated with high stillbirth rate. The dominant type of CHD is ventricular septal defect. CHD prevalence is higher in the Pearl River Delta region than in other regions.